Exploring the Gut-Muscle axis in sarcopenia: The TEMPUS-FUGIT study

Sarcopenia, an age-related loss of muscle mass and function, is an important aspect of the aging process and has serious consequences such as immobility, falling and death. Due to the ageing of the population, the number of people suffering from sarcopenia is increasing significantly. There is growing interest in the role of gut flora in healthy ageing, and disrupted gut flora has already been linked to conditions such as dementia, depression and asthma. In addition, the intestinal flora also influences muscle metabolism, but whether the intestinal flora also plays a role in the development of age-related sarcopenia has not yet been investigated. The aim of the TEMPUS-FUGIT study is to investigate the intestinal-muscle axis in elderly people with sarcopenia. More specifically, this study will investigate whether the intestinal flora of sarcopenic elderly people differs from that of healthy elderly, and whether this is associated with increased markers of inflammation in the stool and in the circulation, so-called 'inflammaging'. In addition, it will be investigated whether there is a link between the composition of the intestinal flora and these inflammation markers on the one hand and muscle mass and function on the other. Finally, the effect of interventions for sarcopenia (exercise therapy, protein and/or omega-3 supplements) on the composition of the intestinal flora is investigated. TEMPUS-FUGIT is the first study to investigate the gut-muscle axis in the elderly. Thus, this study will provide crucial insights into the role of the gut flora in sarcopenia and form the basis for the development of treatments such as pre- or probiotics.