Nutritional specificity of frailty: from epidemiological and clinical evidence to potential mechanisms

Considering the ageing of the population, age-related syndromes, such as frailty, are prominent. In this context, nutrition is a modifiable factor considered a key nonpharmacological approach to prevention and treatment. Yet, its contribution to the frailty pathophysiology is conflicting in the literature. This paper discusses the recent literature (January 2023-June 2024) on the implication of nutrition in frailty management.

Malnutrition is one of the main frailty risk factors. Proteins are the targeted macronutrient for their effects on muscle anabolism, not only in terms of quantity consumed but also in terms of sources. The diversity in plant and animal sources demonstrates better results than relying on a single source. More globally, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant diets are associated with a lower risk of frailty, like the Mediterranean Diet and specific food groups, like seafood, nuts, and seeds. Nutrition is pivotal in frailty prevention and treatment, and multidomain interventions providing exercises seem to yield even better results.

Diverse protein sources and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant diets associated with exercises are the primary recommendations for frailty prevention and treatment. However, there is a need to evaluate how to achieve and maintain this healthy behaviour in real life.