Vitamin D and magnesium are essential nutrients that play key roles in an athlete’s performance, recovery, and overall health. Vitamin D is crucial for bone health (aiding calcium absorption and preventing stress fractures), muscle function (preventing weakness and injury), and reducing respiratory infections. Magnesium is fundamental in muscle function, adenosine triphosphate production for muscle contraction, electrolyte balance, bone strength, and cardiovascular health. The magnesium requirement of healthy adults is estimated at 300–400 mg/day, but there is evidence that athletes may have higher magnesium needs compared to sedentary persons. Magnesium and vitamin D are closely linked—vitamin D aids magnesium absorption, while magnesium is vital for vitamin D synthesis, transport, and activation. Given their importance in athletes, this article explores their functions, interactions, and the effects of deficiencies and supplementation in athletic populations.

A balanced diet and regular physical activity are essential for maintaining musculoskeletal health. Key nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, and protein are especially important for preventing falls and fractures. While the benefits of these nutrients are well-established, other dietary components have not been studied as extensively. For instance, vegetables, which are rich in nutrients vital for muscle and bone health, play a crucial role in preventing falls and fractures. Over recent decades, a great emphasis has been given to the combinations of nutrients and foods in dietary patterns that may have synergistic or antagonistic effects. Despite the challenges in researching the impact of nutrition and physical activity on musculoskeletal health due to the extensive heterogeneity of the results, healthcare professionals should continue to promote healthy eating and regular physical activity, and these principles should be emphasized in public health initiatives. Ultimately, a sufficient and balanced diet, abundant in plant-based foods and low in processed or discretionary foods, along with consistent physical activity, remains the most effective strategy for the prevention of musculoskeletal issues. This article aims to review the updated literature of recent years on the links between nutrition and physical activity with bone and skeletal muscle health.

Introduction: Recurrent falls are observed frequently among older people, and they are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of the present study was to verify sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of World Guidelines for Falls Prevention and Management (WGFPM) falls risk stratification algorithm using data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI). Methods: Participants aged between 40 and 80 years were stratified as ‘low risk’, ‘intermediate risk’ or ‘high risk’ as per WGFPM stratification. Data from the OAI cohort study were used, a multi-centre, longitudinal, observational study focusing primarily on knee osteoarthritis. The assessment of the outcome was carried out at baseline and during the follow-up visit at 24 months. Data about sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were reported. Results: Totally, 4796 participants were initially included. Participants were aged a mean of 61.4 years (SD = 9.1) and were predominantly women (58.0%). The population was divided into three groups: low risk (n = 3266; 82%), intermediate risk (n = 25; 0.6%) and high risk (n = 690; 17.3%). WGFPM algorithm applied to OAI, excluding the intermediate-risk group, produced a sensitivity score of 33.7% and specificity of 89.9% for predicting one or more falls, with an accuracy of 72.4%. Conclusion: In our study, WGFPM risk assessment algorithm successfully distinguished older people at greater risk of falling using the opportunistic case finding method with a good specificity, but limited sensitivity, of WGFPM falls risk stratification algorithm.

Background/Objectives: The Mediterranean diet (MeDiet) is widely recognised as one of the healthiest dietary patterns, associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases and increased longevity. Beyond its nutritional components, the Mediterranean lifestyle encompasses a broader set of culturally rooted behaviours that may contribute to its health benefits. This study aimed to assess adherence to the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle using the MEDLIFE index and to explore how dietary and lifestyle behaviours cluster into coherent behavioural patterns. Methods: We conducted an observational study among undergraduate students in health and sports sciences and a comparison group of older adults, using an anonymous questionnaire based on the MEDLIFE index. Data were analysed using a pattern-based approach combining network analysis and score-based enrichment to characterise behavioural profiles associated with different levels of Mediterranean lifestyle adherence. Results: Network-based analyses revealed a high degree of internal coherence among dietary and lifestyle behaviours traditionally associated with the Mediterranean lifestyle. In particular, dietary restraint behaviours (e.g., limitation of sugar, salt, and snack consumption) systematically co-occurred with recommended Mediterranean food choices, indicating that positive intake and self-regulation are part of a unified behavioural framework. Score-based stratification confirmed these patterns at the individual level, with low adherence characterised by the absence of key Mediterranean components and unhealthy lifestyle habits, and high adherence reflecting an integrated profile combining healthy food choices, moderation, and lifestyle practices. Conclusions: Adherence to the Mediterranean diet reflects a holistic lifestyle strategy rather than a collection of isolated dietary behaviours. These findings support public health approaches that target coherent behavioural patterns, integrating diet, self-regulation, and lifestyle habits, rather than focusing exclusively on individual dietary components.

Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for severe obesity, leading to significant and sustained weight loss and improvement in metabolic comorbidities. However, it is also associated with substantial changes in body composition and nutritional status, including the risk of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity. This review aims to summarize current evidence on the interplay between metabolic and bariatric surgery, nutritional alterations, and skeletal muscle health. The recent literature highlights a high and increasing prevalence of muscle loss after surgery, driven by reduced protein intake, micronutrient deficiencies, hormonal changes, and decreased mechanical loading. Despite these challenges, improvements in metabolic health and physical function are often observed, suggesting a complex relationship between muscle mass and functional outcomes. A multidisciplinary approach, including nutritional optimization and structured exercise interventions, is essential to mitigate muscle loss and function and improve long-term outcomes. Further research is needed to standardize diagnostic criteria and develop targeted strategies for prevention and management.

Magnesium is the second most abundant intracellular cation and an essential cofactor for more than 600 enzymatic reactions involved in cellular metabolism, energy production, nucleic acid synthesis, protein translation, and immune regulation. Emerging experimental evidence suggests that magnesium contributes to several processes involved in skin homeostasis, including keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation, epidermal barrier integrity, collagen synthesis, oxidative balance, and innate and adaptive immune responses. Magnesium deficiency is common but often underrecognized, particularly among persons at higher risk including older adults and persons with gastrointestinal disorders, type 2 diabetes, chronic alcohol use, or certain medication exposures. This deficiency has been implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of several dermatologic diseases through mechanisms involving chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, impaired wound repair, endothelial dysfunction, and immune dysregulation. This review summarizes the current understanding of magnesium biology in skin physiology and critically examines experimental and clinical evidence linking altered magnesium status to inflammatory, autoimmune, and degenerative skin disorders, including atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, acne vulgaris, rosacea, chronic urticaria, wound healing disorders, diabetic foot ulcers, alopecia, and skin aging. The review also discusses the therapeutic potential of oral and topical magnesium formulations, including their proposed mechanisms of action, clinical efficacy, safety profile, and current limitations of the available evidence. Although preclinical studies support a role for magnesium in skin health, clinical evidence remains limited by heterogeneous study designs and a lack of high-quality randomized trials. Future research should prioritize standardized biomarkers and robust clinical studies to clarify the therapeutic potential of magnesium and identify patients most likely to benefit from magnesium-based interventions in dermatologic disorders.