TITLE:
Sarcopenic Obesity and Hormones: A Narrative Review
AUTHORS:
Di Yu, Bo Zhou
KEYWORDS:
Sarcopenic Obesity, Hormones, Endocrine Dysregulation, Body Composition
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.13 No.12,
December
2,
2025
ABSTRACT: Sarcopenic Obesity (SO) is an increasingly prominent public health issue associated with the aging process, characterized by a reduction in muscle mass and an elevated body fat percentage. As the condition progresses, it often leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular events, cognitive dysfunction, frailty, fractures, prolonged hospitalization, and even mortality. However, the mechanisms underlying the development and progression of SO remain incompletely elucidated, and there are currently no systematic and standardized therapeutic approaches specifically targeting this condition. Hormonal imbalances play a significant role in the pathogenesis of SO. We conducted a systematic search of the published literature available on PubMed and summarized the pertinent articles. This review summarizes the current literature on hormones implicated in SO and discusses the potential role of various hormones in its treatment. Multiple hormones play pivotal roles in their pathophysiology: deficiencies in vitamin D, testosterone, IGF-1, and GH are implicated in the loss of muscle mass and concomitant accumulation of adipose tissue. Conversely, elevated levels of catabolic hormones such as cortisol may exacerbate this process. Furthermore, dysregulation of estrogen and thyroid hormones is also linked to alterations in body composition.