The Challenges of Finding a Drug to Treat Sarcopenia
Age-related muscle loss, known as sarcopenia, presents a significant challenge in the field of medicine. Despite efforts to develop drug treatments, none have surpassed the benefits of exercise. This review delves into the complexities of targeting the underlying mechanisms of degenerative aging to effectively combat sarcopenia.
Maintaining active skeletal muscle is crucial for a healthy lifespan, yet sarcopenia poses a threat to independent living. Current interventions have not shown success in clinical trials, highlighting the need for novel approaches. Hormone replacement and myostatin-based therapies have not yielded significant improvements in muscle health, emphasizing the necessity for targeted interventions that address the root causes of muscle aging.
Proposed interventions that focus on promoting muscle growth through hypertrophic signaling may inadvertently exacerbate age-related muscle dysfunction. A shift towards refining mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) functions offers promise in enhancing muscle health in elderly individuals. The review raises questions about the efficacy of current interventions in addressing muscle aging, especially considering mTORC1 insensitivity in the aging population.
