Researchers analyzed seven studies involving 2,344 participants to examine the relationship between Growth Differentiation Factor-15 (GDF-15) and muscle loss in aging. This stress-responsive protein showed significantly higher levels in people with sarcopenia compared to those without the condition. The analysis also revealed an inverse correlation between GDF-15 levels and muscle mass, meaning higher GDF-15 was associated with less muscle tissue. While the association was moderate in strength, these findings suggest GDF-15 could serve as a biomarker for identifying muscle decline in older adults, potentially enabling earlier intervention strategies.
