Grape Polyphenols in the Treatment of Human Skeletal Muscle Damage Due to Inflammation and Oxidative Stress during Obesity and Aging: Early Outcomes and Promises

Today, inactivity and high-calorie diets contribute to the development of obesity and premature aging. In addition, the population of elderly people is growing due to improvements in healthcare management. Obesity and aging are together key risk factors for non-communicable diseases associated with several co-morbidities and increased mortality, with a major impact on skeletal muscle defect and/or poor muscle mass quality. Skeletal muscles contribute to multiple body functions and play a vital role throughout the day, in all our activities. In our society, limiting skeletal muscle deterioration, frailty and dependence is not only a major public health challenge but also a major socio-economic issue. Specific diet supplementation with natural chemical compounds such as grape polyphenols had shown to play a relevant and direct role in regulating metabolic and molecular pathways involved in the prevention and treatment of obesity and aging and their related muscle comorbidities in cell culture and animal studies. However, clinical studies aiming to restore skeletal muscle mass and function with nutritional grape polyphenols supplementation are still very scarce. There is an urgent need for clinical studies to validate the very encouraging results observed in animal models.

Automated summary

Inactivity and high-calorie diets contribute to obesity and premature aging, while improvements in healthcare management have led to a growing population of elderly people. Obesity and aging are major risk factors for non-communicable diseases that result in comorbidities and increased mortality, particularly affecting skeletal muscle mass and quality. Skeletal muscles are important for various bodily functions and limiting their deterioration is a significant public health and socio-economic challenge. Supplementation with natural compounds like grape polyphenols has shown potential in regulating metabolic pathways and preventing obesity and aging-related muscle comorbidities in cell and animal studies. However, there is a lack of clinical studies validating these promising results observed in animal models.