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Validated treatments and therapeutic perspectives regarding nutritherapy

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JNHA - The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging

Abstract

Nutritherapy seeks to prevent or correct disease by the use of nutritional supplements including vitamins, trace elements, or macronutrients. This chapter of the “Les Entretiens du Carla” reviews the potential of nutritherapy for the prevention or improvement of sarcopenia, which is the progressive reduction in muscle mass and muscle strength prevalent in late-life. It is critical that we review nutrients and their potential to maintain muscle mass and strength which ultimately will help minimize falls and fractures among the older population. Evidence from randomized-controlled trials will be reviewed for muscle mass as well as important sarcopenia-related endpoints including lower extremity strength and function, as well as falls and fallrelated fractures. This chapter will focus on vitamin D as a compelling strategy with evidence for strength gain, fall and fracture prevention from double-blind randomized controlled trials. The other strategy discussed is increased protein intake although longer-term trials and evidence for clinically important endpoints are limited. Today, there is no consistent data on other micronutrients or macronutrients with an established potential to combat sarcopenia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre on Aging and Mobility, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    H. A. BIschoff-Ferrari

  2. Dept. of Rheumatology and Institute of Physical Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    H. A. BIschoff-Ferrari

  3. Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts Boston, USA

    H. A. BIschoff-Ferrari

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BIschoff-Ferrari, H.A. Validated treatments and therapeutic perspectives regarding nutritherapy. J Nutr Health Aging 13, 737–741 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-009-0207-6

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