Metabolic plasticity in sarcopenia

Epidemiological findings suggest that the pathogenesis and mortality rates of many age-related diseases are associated with sarcopenia, a condition defined as age-associated muscle weakening and atrophy. Skeletal muscle plays important roles beyond bodily movement, including modulating metabolic homeostasis in response to environmental changes. Skeletal muscle has great metabolic plasticity that enables it to modify its fiber-type composition to suit nutritional, state, and environmental changes. Aging brings a gradual decline in the metabolic plasticity of muscle. Deciphering the mechanisms of muscular metabolic adaptation can enable us to develop a better understanding of sarcopenia and assist in the development of early diagnostic tools as well as effective dietary and exercise intervention programs.