Research
Hormonal
Denosumab is the most promising pharmacological treatment for osteosarcopenia because it inhibits RANKL in both muscle and bone, leading to increased lean mass, bone mass, grip strength, and reduced fall risk.
Denosumab is currently the most promising drug for treating osteosarcopenia, showing benefits for both muscle and bone. However, it is still under further clinical investigation. It should be considered alongside, not instead of, resistance training and proper nutrition.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
To date, the most promising pharmacotherapy for the treatment of osteosarcopenia is denosumab, a human monoclonal antibody, which inhibits RANKL expression in muscle and bone. Three recent trials have shown compelling evidence in favor of denosumab to increase lean (muscle) and bone mass [13], grip strength [13], gait speed, and dynamic balance [115], as well as a reduction in falls [116] in older adults.
Why this rating
Based on three recent trials showing compelling evidence, but further double-blind clinical trials are underway.
Source
Osteosarcopenia
Ben Kirk et al. · 2021
DOI 10.1002/9781119597896.ch11
book_chapter
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Osteosarcopenia is defined by the simultaneous loss of muscle mass, muscle strength, bone mass, and functional capacity, and is associated with significantly higher risks of falls, fractures, and mortality compared to having either condition alone.Strong
- High-intensity resistance exercise (RE) is the primary non-pharmacological intervention for preventing and treating osteosarcopenia, as it simultaneously increases lean body mass, strength, and bone mineral density (BMD), whereas daily activities and cardiovascular exercises are insufficient for stimulating osteoblastogenesis.Good
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