Mixed
Nutritional interventions (protein, leucine, HMB, creatine) preserve or modestly increase lean mass in sarcopenia but fail to consistently restore muscle strength or physical function when applied in isolation.
Eat enough protein (at least 1.2g per kg of body weight daily) and consider creatine or HMB, but do not expect these supplements to fix your strength or balance on their own. You must combine them with resistance exercise to see functional benefits. Nutrition primes the muscle, but exercise builds the function.
While nutritional interventions such as high-quality protein, leucine metabolites, and vitamin D supplementation preserve lean mass, they fail to consistently restore function independently.
Why this rating
Based on a narrative review synthesizing multiple meta-analyses and clinical trials, though the review itself is not a systematic review.
Source
Molecular Mechanisms and Nutritional Modulation in Sarcopenia: A Narrative Review
Hui San Chin et al. · Nutrients · 2026
DOI 10.3390/nu18071161
More from this paper
- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
- Sarcopenia is driven by anabolic resistance, mitochondrial dysfunction, and chronic inflammation, which decouple muscle mass from muscle function.Good
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