Cited by 462Nutrition and Health in AgingMuscle Physiology and DisordersMuscle metabolism and nutrition

Sarcopenia, Cachexia and Aging: Diagnosis, Mechanisms and Therapeutic Options - A Mini-Review

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Ali, Sumbul, Garcia, Jose M.·2014·Gerontology

Abstract

By the year 2050, individuals over the age of 65 years will comprise 20% of the US population. Loss of muscle mass and strength is common in this age group and it is associated with increased dependence, frailty and mortality. Sarcopenia, defined as the loss of muscle mass and function associated with aging, and cachexia, defined as weight loss due to an underlying illness, are muscle wasting disorders of particular relevance in the aging population, but they go largely unrecognized. In this review we highlight the common pathophysiological mechanisms underlying muscle loss in sarcopenia and cachexia, the factors unique to each condition and means of diagnosing and differentiating them clinically. Therapeutic options including exercise, nutritional therapy, androgens and growth hormone as well as their practical limitations are discussed. We also shed light on newer agents being developed as potential therapeutic options for wasting diseases.

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  • Protein synthesis is reduced under oxidative stress conditions.

    “Protein synthesis is reduced under Os conditions [107, 108]”

    From The critical role of oxidative stress in sarcopenic obesity (2021) · cites this paper as [107]

  • In sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass and strength leads to reductions in physical activity and mobility, inducing oxidative stress, exacerbating sarcopenia, and generating an endless circle.

    “In sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass and strength leads to reductions in physical activity and mobility, inducing Os, exacerbating sarcopenia, and generating an endless circle [107, 108, 110].”

    From The critical role of oxidative stress in sarcopenic obesity (2021) · cites this paper as [107]

  • PI-3K/Akt inhibits Fox-O, while mTOR decreases caspase activity; PI-3K/Akt/mTOR activity declines during aging, promoting the catabolic pathway.

    “Moreover, in physiological conditions, PI-3K/Akt inhibits the forkhead box transcription factor O (Fox-O) (a potent inductor of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS)), while mTOR decreases caspase activity. PI-3K/Akt/mTOR activity declines during aging, promoting the catabolic pathway.”

    From The critical role of oxidative stress in sarcopenic obesity (2021) · cites this paper as [107]

  • Physical inactivity, a characteristic of obesity and sarcopenia in aging, indirectly inhibits the mTOR pathway through Fox-O stimulation.

    “Also, physical inactivity (a characteristic of obesity and sarcopenia in aging) indirectly inhibits the mTOR pathway through Fox-O stimulation [107, 108].”

    From The critical role of oxidative stress in sarcopenic obesity (2021) · cites this paper as [107]

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Authors
Ali, S., & Garcia, J. M.
Affiliations
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (US)
Venue
Gerontology
Publisher
S. Karger AG
Published
2014
Volume
60
Issue
4
Pages
294-305
ISSN
  • 0304-324X (ISSN-L)
  • 1423-0003
OpenAlex
W2124477946
Cited by
462
References
56
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 40 · 2024: 39 · 2023: 51 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 60 · 2020: 51 · 2019: 38 · 2018: 46 · 2017: 30 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 2
FWCI
2.61
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Gerontology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (I01 CX000174, I01 BX002807, I01-BX000507)
  • National Institute on Aging (R03AG040583, AG040583, T32AG000183)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nutrition and Health in Aging
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Muscle Physiology and Disorders
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
Keywords
sarcopenia, cachexia, aging, muscle atrophy, muscle mass loss, frailty, pathophysiological mechanisms, diagnosis, exercise therapy, nutritional therapy, androgens, growth hormone
MeSH terms
Aged, Aging, Androgens, Cachexia, Dietary Proteins, Exercise Therapy, Humans, Muscle Proteins, Receptors, Androgen, Muscle, Skeletal, Appetite Stimulants, Human Growth Hormone, Ghrelin, Sarcopenia

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