Study of sarcopenia in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a fast-spreading global health disorder with acutely rising prevalence and mortality rates in a broad spectrum of populations. Accumulating evidence highlights the bidirectional relationship between T2DM and sarcopenia, age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and function. This review synthesises evidence from 50 peer-reviewed articles to provide a comprehensive description of epidemiology, complications, diagnostic models, and management strategies with regard to sarcopenia in T2DM patients. Comparative performance analysis reveals that while world estimates suggest important increases in incidence and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), variability in sarcopenia prevalence is most significantly influenced by population context and diagnosis criteria. Glycaemic variability, obesity, age, and hypertension are the stable predictors of adverse outcomes, while lifestyle interventions such as exercise and diet have the most stable improvement in metabolic and functional outcomes. Pharmacologic interventions are promising but are constrained by side effects such as muscle loss. As clinical and molecular studies advance, problems with insufficient harmonised diagnostic standards continue to hinder effective cross-study comparison. This review emphasises the need for standardised diagnostic frameworks, precision medicine interventions, and cross-domain integrated treatments to address the twin burden of T2DM and sarcopenia.