Flavonoid Intake Associated with Improved Performance and Muscle Mass in Subjects with Sarcopenia

by | Oct 19, 2023 | 2023, Aging, Bone Health, Flavonoids

Written by Taylor Woosley, Staff Writer. Findings of this meta-analysis including 6 RCTs shows that flavonoid intervention improved muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance in sarcopenic participants. 

elderly man gripping ballSarcopenia refers to the gradual loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength that, although it is usually associated with advanced aging, is now recognized to start before 60 years1. The prevalence of sarcopenia was reported to be up to 29% in older adults in the community healthcare setting2. Sarcopenia increases the risk of falls and fractures, impairs the ability to perform daily tasks, and contributes to lowered quality of life, loss of independence, and death3.

Flavonoids are bioactive polyphenol compounds that can scavenge free radicals, protect against other oxidants, chelate metal ions, and increase the activity and expression of antioxidant enzymes4. Flavonoids have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce oxidative damage and improve loss of muscle mass generated by reactive oxygen species in sarcopenia5. Furthermore, several sub-classes of flavonoids may regulate metabolism in skeletal muscle that acts as the prior site of glucose storage6.

Wu et al. conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to investigate the effects of flavonoids on skeletal muscle mass, muscle function, and physical performance in adults with sarcopenia. Study inclusion consisted of RCTs assessing the efficacy of flavonoids, flavonoids combined with other supplementation, or flavonoid-rich supplementations, compared with placebo or control, on sarcopenia. 6 RCTs comprised of 440 participants were included in the meta-analysis. 81.6% of the subjects were female (359 female and 81 male). 3 RCTs analyzed the effects of tea catechins (TCCs), 2 RCTs assessed the effects of epicatechin (EC), and 1 RCT analyzed the effects of isoflavones. Study durations ranged from 8 weeks to 6 months.

Study outcome measures included measuring skeletal muscle mass, and 5 RCTs measured muscle strength and physical performance as the main parameters to assess sarcopenia status. Four of the RCTs calculated skeletal muscle index (SMI) by dividing the estimated muscle mass by the square of the height to assess skeletal muscle mass. The other 2 RCTs utilized estimated muscle mass measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis or dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Quality assessment of studies showed a medium risk of bias for 3 of the RCTs, while the 3 other studies had a high risk of bias.

Significant findings of the meta-analysis show that results of 3 RCTs found that flavonoid intervention improved muscle strength. 2 RCTs showed that flavonoid use improved muscle strength, while 2 RCTs found that flavonoid intervention improved physical performance. Overall results of the systematic review and meta-analysis show that flavonoid intake was positively associated with improved muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance in sarcopenic subjects. Further RCTs are necessary to better comprehend the underlying mechanism of the effect of flavonoids to address sarcopenia.

Source: Wu, Cong, and Katsuhiko Suzuki. “The Effects of Flavonoids on Skeletal Muscle Mass, Muscle Function, and Physical Performance in Individuals with Sarcopenia: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.” Nutrients 15, no. 18 (2023): 3897.

© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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Posted October 19, 2023.

Taylor Woosley studied biology at Purdue University before becoming a 2016 graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a major in Writing. She currently resides in Glen Ellyn, IL.

References:

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  2. Cho MR, Lee S, Song SK. A Review of Sarcopenia Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Treatment and Future Direction. J Korean Med Sci. May 9 2022;37(18):e146. doi:10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e146
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