Association of sarcopenia and type 2 diabetes mellitus

This article is а review of the potential mechanism attributed to sarcopenia in diabetes. Patients with diabetes are characterized with three times higher risk of sarcopenia than subjects without diabetes due to accelerated decline of muscle mass and strength. Numerous factors have been implicated in the pathophysiology of sarcopenia in patents with diabetes. These factors include hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance, chronic subclinical inflammation, obesity and diabetic complications. Diabetic neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes and in combination with sarcopenia resulted to weakness of distal skeletal muscles and disturbance of balance. Features of nutrition in older people, particularly in patients with diabetes, also play a role in the progression of sarcopenia. Basic treatment strategies of sarcopenia are discussed: resistance exercises, protein and vitamin D supplementation, perspectives of drugs therapy.