Sarcopenia

During the last decade, sarcopenia has become one of the hottest topics in geriatrics. Sarcopenia is a major challenge in geriatrics due to its association with numerous negative health-related outcomes, such as falls, fractures, disability, loss of independence, need for long-term care placement, reduced quality of life, and death. The theoretical construct of sarcopenia as a generalized disorder of skeletal muscle tissue, which involves a reduction in muscle mass and muscle function, is widely accepted. Yet, its practical implementation is hampered by the existence of multiple and only partly overlapping operational definitions. As a result, sarcopenia remains very often underdiagnosed and, consequently, undertreated in daily practice. No drugs are currently recommended for the prevention or treatment of sarcopenia. On the other hand, evidence has accumulated on the efficacy of non-pharmacological treatments for the management of sarcopenia, above all physical exercise and nutritional interventions.