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Muscle power and nutrition

Muskelkraft und Ernährung

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Abstract

Sarcopenia, as defined by the European working group on sarcopenia in older people (EWGSOP), is a highly prevalent syndrome characterized by age-related loss of muscle mass and muscle strength/power with impacts on physical function, health and quality of life in older people. The complex, multifaceted and still not completely elucidated etiology of sarcopenia and loss of muscle function (dynapenia) poses challenges for the design of interventional studies to combat loss of muscle strength. Several factors, however, have been demonstrated to have major impacts for maintenance of physiological muscle functioning, including nutrition and in particular specific nutrients. For example, proteins, amino acids and micronutrients have been extensively studied regarding their impact on muscle synthesis and metabolism. This literature review focuses on the impact of nutrition on muscle strength and power as it relates to older people given that muscle changes with age can have important implications for health.

Zusammenfassung

Sarkopenie ist ein häufiges Syndrom bei älteren Menschen, welches von der European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) durch eine altersbedingte Abnahme der Muskelmasse und Muskelkraft bzw. -leistung charakterisiert wird. Sarkopenie hat negative Auswirkungen auf die körperliche Funktionsfähigkeit, Gesundheit und Lebensqualität älterer Menschen. Die komplexe und noch immer nicht vollständig verstandene Ätiologie der Sarkopenie und des Verlusts der muskulären Funktion (Dynapenie) ist eine Herausforderung bei der Konzeption von Interventionsstudien. Für mehrere Faktoren konnte bereits gezeigt werden, dass sie die Erhaltung der physiologischen Muskelfunktion wesentlich beeinflussen. Hierzu zählen die Ernährung und insbesondere spezielle Nährstoffe. So wurden beispielsweise Proteine, Aminosäuren und Mikronährstoffe gründlich bezüglich ihres Effekts auf Bildung und Stoffwechsel der Muskulatur untersucht. Das Ziel dieser Literaturübersicht ist es, den Einfluss der Ernährung auf die Muskelkraft und -leistung älterer Menschen darzustellen.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Jerry Butzel for reading and revising the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dietetics, University Hospital Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 21, 8036, Graz, Austria

    Doris Eglseer MSc

  2. Department of Internal Medicine/Geriatrics, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 15, 8036, Graz, Austria

    Ruth Poglitsch MD &  Regina Elisabeth Roller-Wirnsberger MD, MME

Authors
  1. Doris Eglseer MSc
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  2. Ruth Poglitsch MD
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  3. Regina Elisabeth Roller-Wirnsberger MD, MME
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Regina Elisabeth Roller-Wirnsberger MD, MME.

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Conflict of interest

D. Eglseer, R. Poglitsch and R.E. Roller-Wirnsberger state that there are no conflicts of interest.

This article does not contain any studies on human or animal subjects.

Additional information

Doris Eglseer and Ruth Poglitsch contributed equally to this publication.

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Eglseer, D., Poglitsch, R. & Roller-Wirnsberger, R.E. Muscle power and nutrition. Z Gerontol Geriat 49, 115–119 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-015-1008-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-015-1008-7

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