Background: Low muscle mass quantity/quality is needed to confirm sarcopenia diagnosis; however, no validated cut-off points exist. This study aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of sarcopenia through muscle mass quantity/quality parameters, using the bioimpedance analysis (BIA), isokinetic, and ultrasound tools in probable sarcopenic community-dwelling older adults (≥60 years). Also, it aimed to suggest possible new cut-off points to confirm sarcopenia diagnosis. Methods: A cross-sectional exploratory analysis study was performed with probable sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic older adults. BIA, isokinetic, and ultrasound parameters were evaluated. The protocol was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05485402). Results: A total of 50 individuals were included, 38 with probable sarcopenia (69.63 ± 4.14 years; 7 men and 31 women) and 12 non-sarcopenic (67.58 ± 4.54 years; 7 men and 5 women). The phase angle (cut-off: 5.10° men, p = 0.003; 4.95° women, p < 0.001), peak torque (cut-off: 66.75 Newtons-meters (N-m) men, p < 0.001; 48.35 N-m women, p < 0.001), total work (cut-off: 64.00 Joules (J) men, p = 0.007; 54.70 J women, p = 0.001), and mean power (cut-off: 87.8 Watts (W) men, p = 0.003; 48.95 W women, p = 0.008) in leg extension, as well as the the forearm muscle thickness (cut-off: 1.41 cm (cm) men, p = 0.017; 0.94 cm women, p = 0.041), had great diagnostic accuracy in both sexes. Conclusions: The phase angle, peak torque, total work, and mean power in leg extension, as well as forearm muscle thickness, had great diagnostic accuracy in regard to sarcopenia, and the suggested cut-off points could lead to the confirmation of sarcopenia diagnosis, but more studies are needed to confirm this.

Background: Management of sarcopenia by nutritional and lifestyle interventions is a challenge. The aim is to assess the effectiveness of a phenolic‐rich extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), alone or combined with a prebiotic (PREB) (fructooligosaccharides and inulin), to improve skeletal muscle mass and function in home‐dwelling older adults (60–80 years) with at least one sarcopenia parameter altered. Methods: A 12‐week randomised, double‐blind, parallel, placebo‐controlled, three‐arm clinical trial was conducted. Intervention groups were as follows: (1) refined olive oil (ROO; 30 mL/day; 90‐mg caffeic acid) + maltodextrin placebo (7.5 g/day); (2) EVOO (30 mL/day; 296–300‐mg caffeic acid) + maltodextrin placebo (7.5 g/day); or (3) EVOO + prebiotic (EVOO + PREB; 30 mL/day + 7.5 g/day). Everyone followed co‐created dietary and physical activity recommendations. A 12‐week follow‐up after intervention cessation was assessed. Results: Thirty‐eight participants (69.6 ± 4.1 years; 31 women) with probable sarcopenia were assigned to ROO ( n = 13), EVOO ( n = 14) or EVOO + PREB ( n = 11) intervention groups. At the end‐of‐intervention, assessed by ultrasound, EVOO + PREB compared to EVOO significantly increased muscle thickness of the quadriceps in females, mean (95% CI) (0.230 cm [0.008; 0.45], p = 0.044), cross‐sectional area of the rectus femoris in all populations (0.827 cm ² [0.16; 1.5], p = 0.017) and females (0.569 cm ² [−1.0; −0.08], p = 0.024), and rectus femoris muscle thickness in all population (0.195 cm [0.04; 0.35] p = 0.015) and females (0.179 cm [0.05; 0.31] p = 0.009). Also, EVOO + PREB compared to ROO increased the cross‐sectional area of the rectus femoris (0.579 cm ² [0.07; 1.1], p = 0.026) and rectus femoris muscle thickness (0.133 cm [0.00; 0.27], p = 0.050) in females. At 12‐week follow‐up, EVOO and EVOO + PREB, compared to ROO, significantly increased skeletal muscle mass and appendicular skeletal muscle mass in all populations assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Also, EVOO, compared to ROO, significantly increased skeletal muscle mass index and appendicular skeletal muscle mass index. In addition, at 12‐week follow‐up, EVOO, compared to ROO, improved the overall quality of life score in females. Conclusions: Consuming phenolic‐rich EVOO, alone or combined with prebiotics, improved muscle mass assessed by ultrasound at the end‐of‐intervention and by BIA at 12‐week follow‐up. Further studies are needed to confirm these promising results. Trial Registration: Registration number: NCT05485402; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05485402 ; registration date: 03/08/2022.

Background: New approaches for the management of obesity, a worldwide problem and a major determinant of disability and mortality, are needed. Mastication influences appetite and satiety mechanisms via actual food or sham feeding. However, the effect of mastication of chewing gum, a type of sham feeding, on appetite regulation has not yet been elucidated. Objectives: Our aim was to evaluate the influence of chewing gum on appetite regulation, satiety, energy intake, and weight loss via randomized controlled Trials. Methods: This study was conducted in accordance with the 2020 PRISMA guidelines, and the protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023432699). Electronic databases MEDLINE^®/PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from July 2023 to September 2024. The quality of each included study was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, RoB 2. Results: A total of eight articles with nine RCTs were included in this systematic review. Seven out of nine RCTs evaluated appetite regulation. Five out of seven RCTs reported a significant suppressing effect of hunger, three out of five RCTs reported a significant reduction in desire to eat, and three out of four reported a significant reduction in the desire to eat a sweet snack, all of them compared to the control group. However, the effects on satiety, energy intake, and weight loss are not conclusive. Conclusions: Chewing gum could be a promising non-pharmacological tool for obesity management through appetite regulation; however, further research, with sustained RCTs evaluating the sustained effects of gum chewing on appetite and weight management, is needed.

Management of sarcopenia by nutritional and lifestyle interventions is a challenge. The aim is to assess the effectiveness of a phenolic-rich extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), alone or combined with a prebiotic (PREB) (fructooligosaccharides and inulin), to improve skeletal muscle mass and function in home-dwelling older adults (60-80 years) with at least one sarcopenia parameter altered. A 12-week randomised, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled, three-arm clinical trial was conducted. Intervention groups were as follows: (1) refined olive oil (ROO; 30 mL/day; 90-mg caffeic acid) + maltodextrin placebo (7.5 g/day); (2) EVOO (30 mL/day; 296-300-mg caffeic acid) + maltodextrin placebo (7.5 g/day); or (3) EVOO + prebiotic (EVOO + PREB; 30 mL/day + 7.5 g/day). Everyone followed co-created dietary and physical activity recommendations. A 12-week follow-up after intervention cessation was assessed. Thirty-eight participants (69.6 ± 4.1 years; 31 women) with probable sarcopenia were assigned to ROO (n = 13), EVOO (n = 14) or EVOO + PREB (n = 11) intervention groups. At the end-of-intervention, assessed by ultrasound, EVOO + PREB compared to EVOO significantly increased muscle thickness of the quadriceps in females, mean (95% CI) (0.230 cm [0.008; 0.45], p = 0.044), cross-sectional area of the rectus femoris in all populations (0.827 cm² [0.16; 1.5], p = 0.017) and females (0.569 cm² [-1.0; -0.08], p = 0.024), and rectus femoris muscle thickness in all population (0.195 cm [0.04; 0.35] p = 0.015) and females (0.179 cm [0.05; 0.31] p = 0.009). Also, EVOO + PREB compared to ROO increased the cross-sectional area of the rectus femoris (0.579 cm² [0.07; 1.1], p = 0.026) and rectus femoris muscle thickness (0.133 cm [0.00; 0.27], p = 0.050) in females. At 12-week follow-up, EVOO and EVOO + PREB, compared to ROO, significantly increased skeletal muscle mass and appendicular skeletal muscle mass in all populations assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Also, EVOO, compared to ROO, significantly increased skeletal muscle mass index and appendicular skeletal muscle mass index. In addition, at 12-week follow-up, EVOO, compared to ROO, improved the overall quality of life score in females. Consuming phenolic-rich EVOO, alone or combined with prebiotics, improved muscle mass assessed by ultrasound at the end-of-intervention and by BIA at 12-week follow-up. Further studies are needed to confirm these promising results. Registration number: NCT05485402; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05485402; registration date: 03/08/2022.

To assess the effectiveness of a participatory-research (PR) intervention study on the improvement of lifestyles and sarcopenia parameters in the young-old population (60-74 years) from rural areas of Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain). A 3-month cluster-randomized, parallel, controlled PR intervention was implemented (ClinicalTrials: NCT05273502). Young-old adults of 15 villages of ≤2000 inhabitants from rural areas of Tarragona province participated (7 as intervention (n = 107, 86 women) and 8 as control (n = 82, 68 women). The intervention was co-created by participants and included activities to improve lifestyles and sarcopenia parameters. The control group (CG) did not receive any intervention. The main variable was sarcopenia parameters, and the secondary variables were lifestyles. Overall, physical function improved following the PR intervention, though muscle mass gains should be interpreted cautiously due to Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). Additionally, the PR intervention showed effectiveness in certain quality-of-life domains. These findings may inform future, longer-term studies using more precise assessment tools.

The gut microbiota is a pivotal determinant of human health, influencing both local and systemic physiological processes. Understanding its composition and function is crucial for exploring its impact on diseases, including cancer. Dysbiosis—or imbalances in the gut microbiota linked to negative health outcomes—is increasingly implicated in the pathogenesis of various cancers through mechanisms such as chronic inflammation, immune modulation, and metabolic interactions. The gut microbiome plays a fundamental role in maintaining host health by influencing gut integrity, metabolism, and immune function, with accumulating evidence suggesting a direct impact on cancer development and also cancer drug metabolism, modulating both treatment efficacy and toxicity. This manuscript explores the interactions between the gut microbiome and cancer, focusing on its role in tumorigenesis and its influence on the efficacy of cancer treatments. We review the underlying mechanisms by which specific bacterial species promote tumour development and discuss the microbiome’s role in modulating chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiotherapy outcomes. The complex interplay between the gut microbiome and cancer therapy continues to reveal new avenues for improving treatment outcomes, and as microbiome science becomes increasingly integrated into oncology, future research should focus on identifying specific microbial signatures predictive of treatment response, developing targeted microbiome-modulating interventions, and incorporating microbiome profiling into clinical trial design.