The influence of muscle mass on the recovery and longevity of patients with chronic diseases

Abstract

Loss of muscle mass, often associated with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and cancer, worsens the symptoms of these conditions, compromising recovery, increasing the risk of complications and reducing quality of life. Given the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, studies are needed to promote effective strategies to mitigate muscle loss, promoting more efficient recovery and greater longevity. This research aims to analyze the influence of muscle mass on the recovery and longevity of patients with chronic diseases. This is a qualitative narrative literature review carried out by searching for publications in widely relevant academic databases, such as SciELO, Google Scholar and PubMed, with a time frame from 2020 to 2024. The inclusion criteria prioritized studies with robust methodological approaches and consistent results, while the exclusion criteria were applied to eliminate articles with methodological inconsistencies or that were incompletely available. It was found that preserving muscl” mass is essential for the recovery of patients with chronic diseases. Resistance exercise combined with adequate protein intake, especially in inflammatory contexts, promotes muscle hypertrophy and muscle regeneration, in addition to improving the functionality and quality of life of these patients. Therefore, muscle mass plays a fundamental role in the recovery and longevity of patients with chronic diseases, suggesting that muscle strengthening through resistance exercises and nutritional strategies can reverse or minimize muscle mass loss and improve quality of life. The combination of nutritional and physical interventions is crucial to optimize health and increase longevity of these patients.