Research

Hormonal

High levels of proinflammatory cytokines TWEAK and TNF-α are associated with an increased risk of sarcopenia, while metabolic hormones IGF1, insulin, and adiponectin are associated with a decreased risk.

If you are over 60, getting your blood checked for inflammatory markers like TWEAK and TNF-α, and metabolic hormones like IGF1 and insulin, might provide a clearer picture of your muscle health risk than just looking at weight. High levels of these markers are linked to a much higher risk of sarcopenia. However, the good news is that lifestyle changes, specifically resistance training and whey protein supplementation, can significantly lower these inflammatory markers and improve muscle mass.

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High levels of the inflammatory cytokines TWEAK and TNF-α are associated with an increased risk of sarcopenia, while the metabolic hormones insulin growth factor 1, insulin, and adiponectin are associated with a decreased risk of sarcopenia in our Chinese patient cohort.
Chun‐wei Li et al. · Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle · 2019

Why this rating

Observational study with a relatively small sample size (n=56 sarcopenic, n=56 non-sarcopenic) but rigorous statistical adjustment for confounders.

Source

Circulating factors associated with sarcopenia during ageing and after intensive lifestyle intervention

Chun‐wei Li et al. · Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle · 2019

DOI 10.1002/jcsm.12417

cohort · n=112Cited 278×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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