In the elderly, there is a reduction of the efficiency in many organs, including muscles. The weight, strength and power reduction of elderly muscles is defined as sarcopenia. The pathophysiology of sarcopenia is multifactorial, it can be influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors such as reduced caloric intake, denervation of muscle fibers - in the course of various neurodegenerative diseases, intracellular oxidative stress, hormonal disorders and others. The European Working Group on sarcopenia in the elderly published diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia in 2010, which should increase the recognition of this disease and speed up the treatment process. The best-confirmed methods of treatment of sarcopenia are nutritional hyperalimentation and resistance training. Pharmacological agents, i.e. selective androgen receptor modulators, and myostatin inhibitors are not sufficiently tested to be approved, by the FDA as a treatment regimen of sarcopenia.
Keywords: senility; disability; physical activity; sarcopenia.