The Potential Benefits of Natural Bioactive Compounds in an Anti-Inflammatory Diet on Sarcopenia in Older Adults

Jieqiong Du

doi:10.54254/2753-8818/2025.LD26014

Theoretical and Natural ScienceOpen access

The Potential Benefits of Natural Bioactive Compounds in an Anti-Inflammatory Diet on Sarcopenia in Older Adults

Research Article

Open Access

The Potential Benefits of Natural Bioactive Compounds in an Anti-Inflammatory Diet on Sarcopenia in Older Adults

Jieqiong Du ^1*

¹ The Chinese University of Hong Kong

^*Corresponding author: rebeccadu@link.cuhk.edu.hk

Published on 13 August 2025

TNS Vol.122

ISSN (Print): 2753-8826

ISSN (Online): 2753-8818

ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-269-0

ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-270-6

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Abstract

Sarcopenia, a progressive condition marked by the gradual decline in skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function, is increasingly prevalent among older adults. While resistance training remains an established intervention, dietary strategies have gained attention as feasible and complementary approaches to mitigate muscle decline. This paper summarizes recent studies from the past few years on the potential benefits of natural bioactive compounds commonly found in culinary spices, with a focus on curcumin (in turmeric), piperine (in black pepper), cinnamaldehyde and Cinnamic Acid (in cinnamon) and rosmarinic acid (in rosemary, RosA). For each compound, representative studies were selected to illustrate current evidence. Clinical trials investigating curcumin supplementation have reported modest improvements in muscle strength and endurance. Preclinical studies using animal models have revealed that piperine possesses both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, along with its capacity to enhance curcumin bioavailability in humans. In vitro studies on cinnamaldehyde and RosA have shown protective effects against inflammation-induced muscle atrophy. Although these findings highlight promising mechanisms through which dietary bioactive compounds may contribute to the prevention and management of sarcopenia, most evidence to date is derived from animal models, cell culture experiments, or small pilot trials in healthy individuals. Large-scale, well-designed clinical studies targeting older adults with clinically diagnosed sarcopenia are warranted to confirm the efficacy and safety of these interventions.

Keywords:

Sarcopenia, Anti-inflammatory diet, Curcumin, Piperine

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References

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[2]. World Health Organization. (2024, October 1). Ageing and health. Retrieved July 13, 2025, from https: //www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health

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[7]. Liu, D. (2024). Piperine in pepper improves exercise-induced skeletal muscle damage in rats by regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway. Molecular Plant Breeding, 22(5), 1654–1662.

Cite this article

Du,J. (2025). The Potential Benefits of Natural Bioactive Compounds in an Anti-Inflammatory Diet on Sarcopenia in Older Adults. Theoretical and Natural Science,122,33-38.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of ICBioMed 2025 Symposium: Computational Modelling and Simulation for Biology and Medicine

ISBN: 978-1-80590-269-0(Print) / 978-1-80590-270-6(Online)

Editor: Alan Wang, Roman Bauer

Conference website: https://2025.icbiomed.org/london.html

Conference date: 19 September 2025

Series: Theoretical and Natural Science

Volume number: Vol.122

ISSN: 2753-8818(Print) / 2753-8826(Online)

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