Sarcopenia

Aging Process

Excessive age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function

Foods That May Help

Foods linked to Sarcopenia in the research literature.

BlueberriesImproves
One of only three fruits/vegetables with interventional studies for muscle quality, performance, mass, and/or strength
Source: How Not to Age
GarlicImproves
One of only three fruits/vegetables with interventional studies for muscle quality, performance, mass, and/or strength
Source: How Not to Age
SpinachImproves
One of only three fruits/vegetables with interventional studies for muscle quality, performance, mass, and/or strength
Source: How Not to Age
CoffeeProtects against
3+ cups/day
Coffee-drinking mice had 13% greater hind limb muscle mass and 18% greater grip strength after 1 month; epidemiological studies tie coffee to higher muscle mass index and less sarcopenia at 3+ cups/day
Source: How Not to Age
Cocoa PowderImproves
1 tablespoon/day natural cocoa powder
1 tablespoon natural unprocessed cocoa/day for 12 weeks improved muscle mass index, grip strength, and all 4 physical function tests; Dutched cocoa did not help
Source: How Not to Age
JUST EggImproves
Plant-based egg patty from mung beans seemed to improve muscle strength in 8-week RCT (post hoc analysis)
Source: How Not to Age
Whey ProteinProtects against
Novel ONS formulations with whey protein, leucine, HMB, ursolic acid, and vitamin D have shown promising results on hospital readmission, chair stand test, and gait speed; whey protein and vitamin D supplementation lowered intramuscular fat
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
YogurtImproves
Daily, fortified with 1000 IU vitamin D, 500 mg vitamin C, 3 g HMB for 12 weeks
Daily consumption of yogurt fortified with vitamins D (1000 IU) and C (500 mg) together with HMB (3 g) for 12 weeks improved muscle strength and anabolic functions in older patients with sarcopenia.
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Royal JellyImproves
Royal jelly delays muscular functional decline during ageing and prevents muscle fiber atrophy. Royal jelly and other bee products are rich in antioxidants including flavonoids and phenols.
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity

Compounds That May Help

Bioactive compounds linked to Sarcopenia in the research.

IsoflavonesImproves
Soy isoflavones alone boosted fat-free limb mass in RCT at dose equivalent to 3/4 cup tempeh, 2/3 cup boiled soybeans, or 1/2 cup soy nuts; may suppress mTOR
Source: How Not to Age
CreatineImproves
3 g/day with resistance training
3-5 g/day with resistance training led to additional 3 lbs lean mass over ~4 months; creatine alone without exercise showed no benefits; also improved sit-to-stand test performance
Source: How Not to Age
Urolithin AImproves
Improved muscle endurance and mitochondrial health in older adults (JAMA 2022)
Source: How Not to Age
ProteinProtects against
1.0-1.2 g/kg body weight/day for elderly
Increased intake of dietary proteins was reported beneficial in the maintenance of muscle mass and the prevention of sarcopenia; Recommended treatment of sarcopenia consists of resistance exercise ideally in combination with protein or leucine and vitamin D when deficient; protein supplementation increases muscle mass gain in frail elderly
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Soy proteinProtects against
>25% soy/whey protein in meals
Soybean proteins in diet were found to be superior to milk proteins in enhancing muscle strength in bedridden patients (Hashimoto et al. 2015)
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Vitamin B12Protects against
Insufficiency of vitamin B12 and folate is a risk for decreased muscle strength, which increases the risk of falling and fractures.
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
LeucineProtects against
Seaweed is a rich source of branched amino acids such as leucine, directly implicated in muscle growth and prevention of sarcopenia in ageing population
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Vitamin DProtects against
Vitamin D could influence muscle functioning by regulating protein synthesis and mitochondrial functioning; vitamin D status is related to improved physical functioning and protective against falls
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Omega-3 fatty acidsProtects against
Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties targeting inflammageing; can attenuate anabolic resistance by improving insulin sensitivity and endothelial functioning; when combined with protein, can improve muscle mass and functioning in older adults
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
NAD+Protects against
Sarcopenic individuals show reduced mitochondrial oxidative capacity and repressed biosynthesis of NAD+; dietary intake of NAD+ precursors such as vitamin B3 and tryptophan can increase NAD+ levels
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Essential Amino AcidsImproves
Essential amino acids increase miRNA function related to muscle tissue regulation.
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Beta-Hydroxy Beta-Methyl Butyrate (HMB)Improves
3 g daily for 12 weeks
HMB is a metabolite of leucine which regulates muscular protein synthesis. It decreases muscle cell apoptosis, stabilizes cell membranes, inhibits proteolysis, enhances proliferation and differentiation of stem cells in muscle.
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Urolithin AProtects against
After 4 months, supplement increased leg muscle strength by 12% and VO2max by 10% without exercise.
Source: Young Forever

Risk Factors

Foods and compounds that may contribute to Sarcopenia.

Saturated fat
Those getting 16% of calories from saturated fat (vs 8%) lost lean mass equivalent to 10 years of aging; most pro-inflammatory dietary component | Replacing dietary saturated fatty acids with polyunsaturated fatty acids has beneficial role in sarcopenia prevention
Source: How Not to Age
Whey Protein
Largest RCT of pre-frail/frail adults: leucine, whey protein, soy protein, creatine all failed to add benefit beyond placebo when combined with resistance training; whey activates mTOR causing acne and potentially worse
Source: How Not to Age

Biological Mechanisms

Contributes toPromotes inflammation
Those suffering from sarcopenia, pre-frailty, and frailty tend to have higher inflammatory markers; up to 2x odds of sarcopenia and frailty with pro-inflammatory diets

Sources

How Not to Age
How We Age
Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Outlive
The Young Forever Cookbook
Young Forever