![]() Several interventions have been suggested to counteract sarcopenia. Among the risk events for pathologic changes associated with aging, particular relevance should be directed to the diminished food intake, sedentary life style and reduced energy expenditure of older adults. Protein balance is regulated by many factors that are each susceptible to change during the aging process, including hormone status, physical activity and nutrition. While there are many possible causes for the age-related decline in skeletal muscle mass, it is generally accepted that changes in the regulation of skeletal muscle protein metabolism are responsible for the negative protein balance and are the result of an alteration between protein synthesis and breakdown rates. Sarcopenia might also involve intramuscular fat accumulation, fibrosis, chronic inflammation and a decreased ability of satellite cells to activate and proliferate following injury, thus leading to impaired muscle regeneration. This progressive age-related muscle wasting process is associated with an increased prevalence of falls, a greater incidence of diseases and the loss of functional independence. During aging multifactorial events such as increased levels of intracellular Ca ++ concentration, mitochondrial dysfunctions, protein catabolism, oxidative stress and inflammation lead to the onset of sarcopenia. Schematic representation of cellular processes involved in the onset of sarcopenia. We also highlight the potential use of taurine as a therapeutic molecule for the amelioration of skeletal muscle function and performance severely compromised during aging. The aim of this review is to summarize the pleiotropic effects of taurine on specific muscle targets and to discuss its role in regulating signaling pathways involved in the maintenance of muscle homeostasis. ![]() Taurine is a non-essential amino acid expressed in high concentration in several mammalian tissues and particularly in skeletal muscle where it is involved in the modulation of intracellular calcium concentration and ion channel regulation and where it also acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory factor. It is well established that changes in the quantity and the quality of dietary proteins, as well as the intake of specific amino acids, are able to counteract some of the physiopathological processes related to the progression of the loss of muscle mass and may have beneficial effects in improving the anabolic response of muscle in the elderly. The development of specific therapeutic approaches able to block or reverse this condition may represent an invaluable tool for the promotion of a healthy aging among elderly people. This condition is characterized by a gradual loss of muscle mass due to an unbalance between protein synthesis and degradation, finally conveying in functional decline and disability. Aging is a multifactorial process characterized by several features including low-grade inflammation, increased oxidative stress and reduced regenerative capacity, which ultimately lead to alteration in morpho-functional properties of skeletal muscle, thus promoting sarcopenia.
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