Nutrition in the prevention and treatment of skeletal muscle ageing and sarcopenia: a single nutrient, a whole food and a whole diet approach.

Abstract

Loss of skeletal muscle strength and mass (sarcopenia) is common in older adults and associated with an increased risk of disability, frailty and premature death. Finding cost-effective prevention and treatment strategies for sarcopenia for the growing ageing population is therefore of great public health interest. Although nutrition is considered an important factor in the aetiology of sarcopenia, its potential for sarcopenia prevention and/or treatment is still being evaluated. Nutrition research for sarcopenia utilises three main approaches to understand muscle-nutrition relationships, evaluating: single nutrients, whole foods and whole diet effects - both alone or combined with exercise. Applying these approaches, we summarise recent evidence from qualitative and quantitative syntheses of findings from observational and intervention studies of healthy older adults, and those with sarcopenia. We consider protein supplements, whole foods (fruits and vegetables) and the Mediterranean diet as exemplars. There is some evidence of beneficial effects of protein supplementation ≥ 0·8 g/kg body weight/d on muscle mass when combined with exercise training in intervention studies of healthy and sarcopenic older adults. In contrast, evidence for effects on muscle function (strength and physical performance) is inconclusive. There is reasonably consistent epidemiological evidence suggesting benefits of higher fruits and vegetables consumption for better physical performance. Similarly, higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with beneficial effects on muscle function in observational studies. However, intervention studies are lacking. This review discusses how current evidence may inform the development of preventive and intervention strategies for optimal muscle ageing and nutritional public policy aimed at combatting sarcopenia.