Muscle Matters: Dietary Supplement Use and Sarcopenia Risk

Background: The association between dietary supplement use and risk of sarcopenia in older adults remains poorly investigated. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the association between risk of sarcopenia and supplement use in older adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to analyze the association between supplement use and risk of sarcopenia, assessed by the SARC-F questionnaire, in older outpatients. The associations between risk of sarcopenia and dietary supplement use were examined through logistic regression models. Results: A total of 162 participants were included in this study. Among supplement users (92 patients), 55.4% were identified as being at risk of sarcopenia (SARC-F ≥ 4). Regarding SARC-F components, dietary supplement users exhibited significantly higher median scores for walking assistance (median 1 vs. 0, p = 0.004) and rising from a chair (median 1 vs. 0, p = 0.04) compared to non-users. Individuals at risk were significantly more likely to use dietary supplements compared with those not at risk (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1. 05-3.76; p = 0.034), and this association remained significant after adjustment for confounders, such as sex, age, study, and marital status (OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.21-4.72; p = 0.013). Cognitive decline was the most frequently reported reason for supplement use in both groups. Conclusions: Dietary supplement use is highly prevalent among older adults and independently associated with sarcopenia risk, particularly tracking with functional limitations. Rather than a causal factor, supplementation may serve as a surrogate indicator of overall clinical vulnerability. These findings underscore the importance of assessing muscle health in older supplement users.