Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is a complex metabolic state of the body, attributable to a synergistic combination, mutual reinforcement and aggravation of the pathological mechanisms of sarcopenia and obesity. SO is associated with a decrease in the quality of life, dependence on outside help, an increased risk of disability and premature death. Currently, the urgency of the SO problem is increasing due to the global demographic aging of the population, the high incidence of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), geriatric syndromes of sarcopenia and frailty in the developed countries of the modern world. It is of interest to review current literature data on the prevalence, etiology, pathogenesis, as well as the principles of diagnosis, prevention and treatment of sarcopenic obesity.

Anemic syndrome is detected in 10-25% of geriatric patients, and with increasing age, there is a tendency to increase the incidence of the disease. Among the diseases that lead to the development of anemia, kidney pathology plays an important role. Progressive deterioration of kidney function in old age is associated with an increased risk of fractures, sarcopenia, and the development of cognitive impairment. Also, nephrogenic anemia aggravates the prognosis in patients with cardiovascular diseases, which is associated with an increase in myocardial ischemia, an increase in tissue hypoxia, a progression of left ventricular hypertrophy, and a decrease in left ventricular systolic function.

Due to the high prevalence of sarcopenia among elderly and old patients, early prevention and treatment of sarcopenia and its complications are relevant. Protein supplements can be used to maintain muscle strength and mass during aging. The possibility of using branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in the treatment and prevention of sarcopenia in geriatric patients is of scientific interest. BCAAs promote the synthesis and inhibit the degradation of muscle tissue proteins, are involved in the regulation of tissue sensitivity to insulin, ammonia utilization, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, etc.Search strategy. The search for scientific articles for literature review was carried out in the PubMed and PubMed Central databases. The selection criterion was scientific articles published up to December 2022. We used the following search keywords: “branched-chain amino acids”, “BCAA”, “body composition”, “sarcopenia”, “aging”. The 2019 European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 (EWGSOP2) Consensus was included in the list of articles.Conclusions. The possibility of using BCAAs in elderly and old patients for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia is a relevant topic that continues to be actively studied. The effectiveness of BCAA supplementation in the diet is debatable as long as sufficient protein is consumed daily. On the other hand, BCAA supplementation may be justified in cases where it is not possible to consume enough high-quality protein in the diet. More research is needed on this topic.

In connection with the increase in life expectancy, the number of people of older age groups is increasing, and with it the age of associated diseases, which are of tremendous medical and social importance. Such diseases include Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular pathology. The role of the gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of these nosologies is widely discussed in the literature. In addition, a number of studies have shown the effectiveness of the use of probiotics and prebiotics in the treatment of these diseases. The review of the literature summarizes the current understanding of the role of the intestinal microbiota in the development, prevention, and treatment of major age-related diseases.

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