ABSTRACT
A survey conducted in the USA has estimated the cost-related health consequences of sarcopenia to be 20–30 billion dollars. The more rational approach to delay the progression of sarcopenia is based on the combination of proper nutrition, possibly associated with the use of supplements and/or foods for special medical purposes, and a regular exercise program. The bio-availability of amino acids plays a major role in the regulation of protein metabolism in elderly subjects and a nutritional therapy must necessarily aim also at the recovery of muscle and sensitivity to the stimulus induced by the protein-synthetic amino acids, in order to contrast anabolic resistance. Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) is a product of leucine metabolism that has been shown to slow protein breakdown in muscle tissue. HMB may be effective at limiting the demands placed on the elderly subjects by acute stresses, such as sudden increases in physical activity, an immunologic challenge, or acute malnutrition.
