Utilização de suplementos alimentares aliados à protocolos de treinamento físico na prevenção de sarcopenia em idosos: uma revisão sistemática

Abstract

Currently, the number of elderly people is increasing all over the world, leading to an aging population and a demographic transition. In addition, there was also a change in the epidemiological profile of the population, resulting in a higher prevalence of diseases typical of aging, including sarcopenia. This pathology is related to the loss of muscle mass, strength and function, with an important impact on quality of life. This study aimed to systematically evaluate in the literature the effect of the use of food supplements combined with a physical training protocol in the prevention of sarcopenia in elderly individuals. PubMed, SciELO and Lilacs databases were used to search for scientific articles, in Portuguese and English. For the search, the following terms “Aged”, “Elderly”, “Elderly Nutritional Physiological Phenomena”, “Sarcopenias” and “Dietary Supplement” were used. Only intervention articles were prioritized and complete studies published from 2015 onwards, with their target population of elderly individuals (aged 60 years or older) and of both sexes, were included. Experimental studies, case studies and reviews were excluded. A total of 316 studies were found and, after applying the eligibility criteria, 27 studies were included in the present review. As for the design, 26 randomized clinical trials and one non-randomized feasibility pilot study were selected. In this review, 13 different types of supplementations were found, with a higher prevalence of protein-based supplementation (62.9%), followed by fatty acid supplementation (18.5%). Physical training protocols were used in 25 of the analyzed studies, with a prevalence of resistance training (51.8%). Supplementation combined or not with physical training protocols showed satisfactory results in relation to body composition indices, however, when used in combination, a significant improvement was observed both in relation to these indices and in muscle mass, as an increase in physical strength. Therefore, it is concluded that supplementation combined or not with physical exercise can prevent sarcopenia, developing an essential role in relation to muscle mass gain, as well as its maintenance, in addition to contributing to the gain of strength and physical resistance in the elderly.