Strength Training and Nutrition Help Prevent Sarcopenia in Older Adults

Sarcopenia is a musculoskeletal, progressive, and generalized disease characterized by decreased muscle strength and mass, leading to reduced quality of life. Sarcopenia is directly related to age, a sedentary lifestyle, and poor nutrition. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of 12-week progressive intensity Resistance Training (RT) associated with nutritional advice on the frequency of sarcopenia in older adults. A total of 74 older adults (37 in the intervention group and 37 in the control group), with a mean age of 69.1 ± 6.85 years, were included in the study. The sarcopenia status of the participants was assessed at baseline and after a 12-week intervention. In the intervention group, resistance training combined with nutritional counseling reduced the prevalence of sarcopenia from 35.14% to 0% (p < 0.001). Additionally, participants in the intervention group showed significant improvements in handgrip strength (from 27.70 ± 10.71 to 30.24 ± 10.38 kg), chair stand test performance (from 14.04 ± 3.46 to 11.67 ± 1.80 s), and time up and go test (from 7.49 ± 1.20 to 6.74 ± 0.95 s) (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the control group increased the incidence of sarcopenia (p < 0.001). After 12 weeks, progressive intensity RT associated with nutritional advice proved to be an effective treatment to reverse sarcopenia and help participants remain non-sarcopenic. In addition, the results of this study provide information about efficient and non-pharmacological sarcopenia treatment.