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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #297313
Title: Impact on nutrition on muscle strength and performance in older adults

Author
item MITHAL, AMBRISH - Medanta Medicity
item BONJOUR, JEAN-PHILIPPE - University Hospital
item BOONEN, STEVEN - University Of Leuven
item BURCKHARDT, PETER - Clinique Bois Cerf
item DEGENS, HANS - Manchester Metropolitan University
item EL-HAJJ FULEIHAN, GHADA - American University Of Beirut
item JOSSE, ROBERT - University Of Toronto
item LIPS, PAUL - Vu University Medical Center
item MORALES-TORRES, JORGE - Hospital Aranda De La Parra
item RIZZOLI, RENE - University Hospital
item YOSHIMURA, NORIKO - University Of Tokyo
item WAHL, DENYS - International Osteoporosis Foundation
item COOPER, CYRUS - University Of Southampton
item DAWSON-HUGHES, BESS - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University

Submitted to: Osteoporosis International
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/20/2012
Publication Date: 5/1/2013
Citation: Mithal, A., Bonjour, J., Boonen, S., Burckhardt, P., Degens, H., El-Hajj Fuleihan, G., Josse, R., Lips, P., Morales-Torres, J., Rizzoli, R., Yoshimura, N., Wahl, D., Cooper, C., Dawson-Hughes, B. 2013. Impact on nutrition on muscle strength and performance in older adults. Osteoporosis International. 24(5):1555-1566.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Muscle strength plays an important role in determining risk for falls, which result in fractures and other injuries. While bone loss has long been recognized as an inevitable consequence of aging, sarcopenia-the gradual loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength that occurs with advancing age-has recently received increased attention. A review of the literature was undertaken to identify nutritional factors that contribute to loss of muscle mass. The role of protein, acid-base balance, vitamin D/calcium, and other minor nutrients like B vitamins was reviewed. Muscle wasting is a multifactorial process involving intrinsic and extrinsic alterations. A loss of fast twitch fibers, glycation of proteins, and insulin resistance may play an important role in the loss of muscle strength and development of sarcopenia. Protein intake plays an integral part in muscle health and an intake of 1.0-1.2 g/kg of body weight per day is probably optimal for older adults. There is a moderate inverse relationship between vitamin D status and muscle strength. Chronic ingestion of acid-producing diets appears to have a negative impact on muscle performance, and decreases in vitamin B12 and folic acid intake may also impair muscle function through their action on homocysteine. An adequate nutritional intake and an optimal dietary acid-base balance are important elements of any strategy to preserve muscle mass and strength during aging.