Omega-3 fatty acids stimulate muscle protein synthesis in older adults and may be useful for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia. This trial was registered at clinical trials.gov as NCT00794079.

Fish oil-derived n-3 PUFA therapy slows the normal decline in muscle mass and function in older adults and should be considered a therapeutic approach for preventing sarcopenia and maintaining physical independence in older adults. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01308957.

Background and Aims-We determined the effects of acute and chronic calorie restriction with either a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet or a low-carbohydrate diet on hepatic and skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity.

Increased dietary long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCn-3PUFA) intake stimulates muscle protein anabolism in individuals who experience muscle loss due to aging or cancer cachexia. However, it is not known whether LCn-3PUFA elicit similar anabolic effects in healthy individuals. To answer this question we evaluated the effect of 8 weeks of LCn-3PUFA supplementation (4 g·d−1 of Lovaza®) in nine 25–45 y old healthy subjects on the rate of muscle protein synthesis (by using stable isotope labelled tracer techniques) and the activation (phosphorylation) of elements of the mTOR-p70s6k pathway during basal, postabsorptive conditions and during a hyperinsulinemic-hyperaminoacidemic clamp. We also measured the concentrations of protein, RNA, and DNA in muscle to obtain indices of the protein synthetic capacity, translational efficiency and cell size. Neither the basal muscle protein fractional synthesis rate nor basal signalling element phosphorylation changed in response to LCn-3PUFA supplementation but the anabolic response to insulin and amino acid infusion was greater after LCn-3PUFA (i.e., the muscle protein fractional synthesis rate during insulin and amino acid infusion increased from 0.062 ± 0.004 to 0.083 ± 0.007 %·h−1 and the phospho mTORSer2448 and p70s6kThr389 concentrations increased by ~50%; all P < 0.05). In addition, the muscle protein concentration and the protein-to-DNA ratio (i.e., muscle cell size) were both greater (P < 0.05) after LCn-3PUFA supplementation. We conclude that LCn-3PUFA have anabolic properties in healthy young and middle aged adults.

Changes in fat distribution, dyslipidemia, disordered glucose metabolism, and lactic acidosis have emerged as significant challenges to the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Over the past decade, numerous investigations have been conducted to better define these conditions, identify risk factors associated with their development, and test potential therapeutic interventions. The lack of standardized diagnostic criteria, as well as disparate study populations and research methods, have led to conflicting data regarding the diagnosis and treatment of metabolic and body shape disorders associated with HIV infection. On the basis of a review of the medical literature published and/or data presented before April 2006, we have prepared a guide to assist the clinician in the detection and management of these complications.