Dietary phytochemicals as a promising nutritional strategy for sarcopenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Abstract The decline in skeletal muscle mass and strength, also called sarcopenia, accelerates with age, leading to negative health outcomes poor quality of life. Diet is important promote plays a key role aging. Plant-based foods have recently received attention as sources phytochemical components attenuate loss strength older adults. This systematic review meta-analysis evaluated the benefits botanical extracts their compounds for Randomized controlled trials were identified via searches four electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web Science, KoreaMed) up June 2021 assessed. results mass, physical performance pooled using random-effects model. Fourteen studies involving 528 subjects aged between 50 80 years met inclusion criteria. Dietary phytochemicals significantly increased handgrip [0.90 kg; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.26–1.53, p = 0.01] (timed up-and-go test: − 0.5 s, 2.73 times; CI 0.84 0.15, < 0.01; 30-s chair stand 0.88–4.59, 6-min walk 29.36 m; 14.58–44.13, 0.0001) but had no effect on improvement mass. Publication bias by funnel plots Egger’s regression test demonstrated evidence substantial publication ( > 0.05). findings this suggest that are potential nutritional strategy improve