Research Progress on the Mechanisms of Sarcopenia

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-3245.2025.06.038

Abstract：Sarcopenia, a progressive and systemic skeletal muscle disease proposed by Irwin Rosenberg in 1989, is mainly characterized by a decline in muscle mass and function associated with adverse outcomes. The prevalence of sarcopenia is increasing with the global aging population, leading to increased risks of falls, fractures, and mortality. The main clinical manifestations of sarcopenia include weight loss, slow walking on flat ground, difficulty in movement, decreased hand grip strength, repeated falls, muscle atrophy, and reduced physical activity capacity. It can be classified into primary and secondary sarcopenia based on its causes. The pathogenesis of sarcopenia is complex, involving multiple pathways such as imbalance between protein synthesis and degradation, chronic inflammation, reduction in satellite cell numbers, mitochondrial dysfunction, vitamin D deficiency, hypogonadism, hormonal status, neuromuscular junctions, gut microbiota, and changes in the immune system. Treatment of sarcopenia includes resistance exercise and nutritional support. Currently, there is no specific drug approved for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia. With the global aging population, early prevention and combined therapies for sarcopenia are crucial. This article summarizes the definition, epidemiology, clinical features, pathogenesis, and diagnostic and therapeutic approaches of sarcopenia, and discusses future developments.