EARLY-ONSET SARCOPENIA IN YOUNG ADULTS: MECHANISMS, RISK FACTORS AND PREVENTION STRATEGIES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.5887Keywords:
Sarcopenia, Young Adults, Sarcopenic Obesity, Resistance Training, Protein IntakeAbstract
Sarcopenia, traditionally associated with aging, has been increasingly recognized in younger populations. Early-onset muscle loss may have significant long-term metabolic and functional consequences. This review aims to summarize current evidence on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, risk factors, and preventive strategies of sarcopenia in young adults. A structured literature search was conducted using the PubMed database, prioritizing studies published between 2010 and 2025, including systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and narrative reviews. Current evidence suggests that the prevalence of sarcopenia in adult populations ranges from approximately 10% to over 20%, although data specific to younger individuals remain limited. In this group, sarcopenia is primarily associated with physical inactivity, inadequate nutrition, obesity, and metabolic dysfunction. Chronic low-grade inflammation and insulin resistance contribute to impaired muscle protein synthesis and increased catabolism, while early impairments in muscle function may remain clinically underrecognized. Resistance training and adequate protein intake remain the most effective preventive strategies, particularly when applied in combination. Early identification of at-risk individuals and targeted lifestyle interventions may play a crucial role in preventing long-term adverse health outcomes. Sarcopenia should therefore not be considered exclusively an age-related condition but rather a multifactorial process that may begin early in adulthood.
References
Assyov, Y., Nedeva, I., Spassov, B., Gerganova, A., Velikov, T., Kamenov, Z., & Velikova, T. (2024). Nutritional management and physical activity in the treatment of sarcopenic obesity: A review of the literature. Nutrients, 16(15), 2560. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16152560
Cruz-Jentoft, A. J., Bahat, G., Bauer, J., Boirie, Y., Bruyère, O., Cederholm, T., Cooper, C., Landi, F., Rolland, Y., Sayer, A. A., Schneider, S. M., Sieber, C. C., Topinková, E., Vandewoude, M., & Visser, M. (2019). Sarcopenia: Revised European consensus on definition and diagnosis. Age and Ageing, 48(1), 16–31. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afy169
Deutz, N. E. P., Bauer, J. M., Barazzoni, R., Biolo, G., Boirie, Y., Bosy-Westphal, A., Cederholm, T., Cruz-Jentoft, A., Krznariç, Z., Nair, K. S., Singer, P., Teta, D., Tipton, K., & Calder, P. C. (2014). Protein intake and exercise for optimal muscle function with aging. Clinical Nutrition, 33(6), 929–936. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2014.04.007
El Ghoch, M., Rossi, A. P., Verde, L., Barrea, L., Muscogiuri, G., Savastano, S., & Colao, A. (2022). Understanding sarcopenic obesity in young adults in clinical practice: A review of three unsolved questions. Panminerva Medica, 64(4), 537–547. https://doi.org/10.23736/S0031-0808.22.04784-X
Grgic, J., Schoenfeld, B. J., Davies, T. B., Lazinica, B., Krieger, J. W., & Pedisic, Z. (2018). Effect of resistance training frequency on gains in muscular strength: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 48(5), 1207–1220. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-018-0872-x
Mitchell, W. K., Williams, J., Atherton, P., Larvin, M., Lund, J., & Narici, M. (2012). Sarcopenia, dynapenia, and the impact of advancing age on human skeletal muscle size and strength. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 3(4), 260–270. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13539-012-0079-7
Morton, R. W., Murphy, K. T., McKellar, S. R., Schoenfeld, B. J., Henselmans, M., Helms, E., Aragon, A. A., Devries, M. C., Banfield, L., Krieger, J. W., & Phillips, S. M. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training–induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(6), 376–384. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608
Murton, A. J. (2015). Muscle protein turnover in the elderly and its potential contribution to the development of sarcopenia. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 74(4), 387–396. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665115000130
Petermann-Rocha, F., Balntzi, V., Gray, S. R., Lara, J., Ho, F. K., Pell, J. P., & Celis-Morales, C. (2022). Global prevalence of sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 13(1), 86–99. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12783
Phillips, S. M., & Winett, R. A. (2010). Uncomplicated resistance training and health-related outcomes: Evidence for a public health mandate. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 9(4), 208–213. https://doi.org/10.1249/JSR.0b013e3181e7da73
Tomlinson, D. J., Erskine, R. M., Morse, C. I., Winwood, K., & Onambélé-Pearson, G. (2016). The impact of obesity on skeletal muscle strength and structure through adolescence to old age. Biogerontology, 17(3), 467–483. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10522-015-9626-4
Westerterp, K. R. (2018). Changes in physical activity over the lifespan: Impact on body composition and sarcopenic obesity. Obesity Reviews, 19(S1), 8–13. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12781
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Kami Krzysztof Wójcik, Irmina Grygutis, Julia Kępska, Weronika Olech, Wiktor Kowalczyk, Arina Drobashko, Aneta Synakiewicz, Natalia Lewińska, Nikola Murawska, Aleksandra Pociej, Milena Dziedzina
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
All articles are published in open-access and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Hence, authors retain copyright to the content of the articles.
CC BY 4.0 License allows content to be copied, adapted, displayed, distributed, re-published or otherwise re-used for any purpose including for adaptation and commercial use provided the content is attributed.
How to Cite
