The loss of muscle mass and sarcopenia: Non hormonal intervention

Muscle aging is a key component of the increase in frailty in human populations. The generation of critical levels of power is a prerequisite to perform simple tasks of daily living, such as rising from a chair or climbing stairs. There is great scientific and social interest to determine which behaviors can lead to the maintenance of the muscle mass in young immobilized subjects and in the elderly. Several hormonal treatments have been proposed for the treatment of sarcopenia. However, the side effects associated to these treatments emphasize the need of finding non-toxic and non-hormonal treatments that help increase muscle strength, improve muscle function, and decrease the degree of dependency in the old population. Recently, several studies have shed new light on this topic. Any medical efforts to develop treatments to prevent muscle dysfunction leading to sarcopenia, and eventually frailty, will be a major breakthrough in the public health in advances countries. Moreover, any significant improvement in the loss of muscle function will be a major breakthrough in the health and welfare of the population. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.