Adapted from BMJ 17-24 May2025
As people age they tend to lose lean muscle mass. My comment: I, as well as many of us, regularly weight train, in the hope of preventing age related muscle loss, also known as sarcopenia.
A multi-national trial of two thousand adults gave disappointing results.
The group of physically active older adults was randomised to: daily supplemental vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acid supplements, and a home exercise programme undertaken three times a week, either alone or in combination.
After three years intervention, NONE of these interventions improved muscle mass or influenced the incidence of sarcopenia, as measured by dual energy X ray absorptiometry.
As exercise and vitamin D supplements have been shown to improve other important health parameters, I will continue to exercise daily.
J Am Geriatr Soc doi:10.1111/jgs.19266
Diabetes Diet 
Well THAT doesn’t make me happy! I’m not a youngster anymore and I lift weights three days a week trying to not just keep what I have, but build muscle. Now I know I’m fighting a losing battle. 😢
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It doesn’t make me happy either. I don’t know how intense the exercise was in the trial. I’m just going to continue working out steadily and often vigorously and regularly to muscle failure and hope that that is good enough to prevent sarcopenia.
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