Minerals and Sarcopenia; The Role of Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Sodium, and Zinc on Muscle Mass, Muscle Strength, and Physical Performance in Older Adults: A Systematic Review.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the role of calcium, among other minerals, in preventing or treating sarcopenia by assessing its impact on muscle mass, strength, and physical performance in older adults.
Results Summary
Observational studies showed calcium intake was significantly associated with muscle mass (n=1) and sarcopenia prevalence (n=2), suggesting potential benefits for sarcopenia prevention. However, no randomized controlled trials specifically confirmed these effects.
Population
Older adults (average age ≥ 65 years), including healthy and frail individuals.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
serum selenium | neutral | muscle mass | older adults | - | were significantly associated with | #1 |
calcium intake | neutral | muscle mass | older adults | - | were significantly associated with | #2 |
magnesium intake | increase | physical performance | older adults | - | were significantly and positively associated with | #3 |
selenium intake | increase | physical performance | older adults | - | were significantly and positively associated with | #4 |
iron intake | increase | physical performance | older adults | - | were significantly and positively associated with | #5 |
zinc intake | increase | physical performance | older adults | - | were significantly and positively associated with | #6 |
magnesium intake | neutral | prevalence of sarcopenia | older adults | - | were associated with | #7 |
selenium intake | neutral | prevalence of sarcopenia | older adults | - | were associated with | #8 |
calcium intake | neutral | prevalence of sarcopenia | older adults | - | were associated with | #9 |
phosphorus intake | neutral | prevalence of sarcopenia | older adults | - | were associated with | #10 |
magnesium supplementation | increase | physical performance | - | - | improved | #11 |
INTRODUCTION: Minerals may contribute to prevent and treat sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance. So far, there is no comprehensive review on the impact of minerals on sarcopenia outcomes. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the role of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, and zinc on muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance in older adults. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted between March 2016 and July 2016, in the PubMed database using predefined search terms. Articles on the role of dietary mineral intake or mineral serum concentrations on muscle mass, muscle strength, physical performance, and/or the prevalence of sarcopenia in healthy or frail older adults (average age ≥ 65 years) were selected. Only original research publications were included. The search and data extraction were conducted in duplicate by 2 independent researchers. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement was followed in constructing this systematic review. The Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies was used to evaluate the quality of the selected articles. RESULTS: From the 3346 articles found, a total of 10 studies met the inclusion criteria. Observational studies showed that serum selenium (n = 1) and calcium intake (n = 1) were significantly associated with muscle mass, and magnesium (n = 1), selenium (n = 1), iron (n = 1), and zinc (n = 1) intake were significantly and positively associated with physical performance in older adults. Furthermore, magnesium (n = 2), selenium (n = 2), calcium (n = 2), and phosphorus (n = 1) intake were associated with the prevalence of sarcopenia. Magnesium supplementation improved physical performance based on one randomized controlled trial. No studies on the role of sodium or potassium on muscle mass, muscle strength, or physical performance were found. CONCLUSION: Minerals may be important nutrients to prevent and/or treat sarcopenia. Particularly, magnesium, selenium, and calcium seem to be most promising. Most of the included studies, however, were observational studies. Therefore, more randomized controlled trials are needed to elucidate the potential benefits of mineral intake to prevent and/or treat sarcopenia and support healthy aging.