Sarcopenia is a progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and function. The prevalence of
sarcopenia was reported to be up to 29% in older persons in the community healthcare setting.
Sarcopenia diagnosis is confirmed by the presence of low muscle mass plus low muscle strength or low physical performance.
Sarcopenia management options include non-pharmacological and pharmacological approaches. Non-pharmacological approaches include resistance exercise and adequate nutrition. Of the two, resistance exercise is the standard non-pharmacological treatment approach for
sarcopenia with significant positive evidence. Some dietary approaches such as adequate intake of
protein,
vitamin D,
antioxidant nutrients, and long-chain
polyunsaturated fatty acid have been shown to have positive effects against
sarcopenia. Currently, no specific drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of
sarcopenia. However, several agents, including
growth hormone, anabolic or androgenic
steroids, selective androgenic receptor modulators,
protein anabolic agents,
appetite stimulants,
myostatin inhibitors, activating II receptor drugs, β-
receptor blockers, angiotensin-converting
enzyme inhibitors, and
troponin activators, are recommended and have been shown to have variable efficacy. Future research should focus on
sarcopenia biological pathway and improved diagnostic approaches such as
biomarkers for early detection, development of consistently pre-eminent treatment methods for severe
sarcopenia patients, and establishing sensitive measures for predicting
sarcopenia treatment response.