Sarcopenia; functional concerns, molecular mechanisms involved, and seafood as a nutritional intervention – review article

Abstract

The fundamental basis for the human function is provided by skeletal muscle. Advancing age causes selective fiber atrophy, motor unit loss, and hybrid fiber formation resulting in hampered mass and strength, thus referred to as sarcopenia. Influence on the loss of independence of aged adults, contribute toward inclined healthcare costs conveys the injurious impact. The current understating of age-related skeletal muscle changes are addressed in this review, and further discusses mechanisms regulating protein turnover, although they do not completely define the process yet. Moreover, the reduced capacity of muscle regeneration due to impairment of satellite cell activation and proliferation with neuronal, immunological, hormonal factors were brought into the light of attention. Nevertheless, complete understating of sarcopenia requires disentangling it from disuse and disease. Nutritional intervention is considered a potentially preventable factor contributing to sarcopenia. Seafood is a crucial player in the fight against hunger and malnutrition, where it consists of macro and micronutrients. Hence, the review shed light on seafood as a nutritional intrusion in the treatment and prevention of sarcopenia. Understanding multiple factors will provide therapeutic targets in the prevention, treatment, and overcoming adverse effects of sarcopenia.

Keywords:

• aging
• muscle growth
• nutrition
• sarcopenia
• seafood

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by a part of the project titled ‘Development of functional food products with natural materials derived from marine resources (No. 20170285),’ funded by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea