Sarcopenia contributes significantly to the morbidity, decrease in quality of life, and health
care costs in the elderly. It is characterized by a decrease in muscle mass and strength,
starting as early as the fourth decade of life in humans. Distinct muscle changes include a
decrease in type 2 muscle fibers and a decrease in myosin heavy chains IIa and IIx mRNA
levels. In addition, a decrease in whole body protein turnover, mixed muscle protein
synthesis, myosin heavy chain synthesis, and mitochondrial protein synthesis have been …