The role of physical activity in counteracting age-related sarcopenia and cancer cachexia: A brief literature review

Abstract

Muscle tissue plays several important health functions . In addition to the important mechanical functions, it represents the biggest reserve of body proteins and it is also able to produce several myokines that are able to induce important beneficial effects, through the interaction with different organs. The loss of muscle mass has a tremendous impact on health and it is not surprising that a great interest has raised on two degenerative, irreversible and unstoppable conditions known as sarcopenia and cachexia. Sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass, is not a disease or a syndrome, it is not even a medical sign sometimes. Indeed, a general consensus among scientists does not exist regarding the definition and the identification criteria of this condition. On the other hand, cachexia is a wasting syndrome characterized by an uncontrolled and unstoppable loss of muscle mass, associated with fatigue and weakness. It is often associated with a disease like cancer, AIDS, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), multiple sclerosis, tuberculosis etc. Given the complexity of these muscle conditions and considering that during aging and cancer there is an increased risk of comorbidities, regular physical activity might be a crucial point to be carefully evaluated on a single patient basis. The aim of this review is to highlight the impact on society and the etiology of sarcopenia and cancer cachexia, with particular regard to the role played by physical activity in preventing and counteracting these muscle-wasting conditions, focusing attention also on the limitation factors that must be considered during the prescription of physical activity to sarcopenic and cachectic patients.

Keywords

• Sarcopenia
• Cachexia
• Muscle Tissue
• Muscle Wasting
• Physical Activity
• Aging
• Cancer