Sarcopenia is defined as skeletal muscle disorders due to aging processes leading to decreased muscle strength, increased functional impairment and disability, raised mortality, and lessened quality of life.

Sarcopenia often overlaps with malnutrition, especially in older patients.

Exercise and nutrition can fight with sarcopenia

Nutrition Therapy as Part of Multimodal Intervention for the Management of Frail Elderly Patients-case study 1

Nutrition Therapy as Part of Multimodal Intervention for the Management of Frail Elderly Patients-case study 2

The Asian working group for sarcopenia (AWGS) is established and work with collaboration in Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Hongkong, China and Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand. The special interest groups of AWGS studied sarcopenia in the following categories: definition, epidemiology, diagnosis, and intervention. The AWGS consensus (AWGS 2014 and AWGS 2019) has been widely accepted and cited in many important medical journals about sarcopenia.

This systematic review shows that HMB can improve lean body mass and preserve muscle strength and function in older people with sarcopenia and frailty.

The effective amount of HMB (3 g/day) is extremely difficult to obtain from the normal diet, given the low quantities of HMB available in foods and the low conversion rate of leucine to HMB. Several studies have shown positive effects of HMB supplementation on body composition, muscle mass and strength, and physical function in older adults.

HMB supplementation seems to be a feasible alternative for the maintenance of muscle mass in the population over 65 years, especially in bedridden or sedentary elderly, aiding in the reduction of muscle catabolism. Three grams of HMB seem to be the optimal dose to promote these benefits.