Vascular aging and sarcopenia: Interactions with physiological functions during exercise

Sarcopenia includes reductions in the skeletal muscle mass, which could be related to the circulatory responses to exercise that support the degree of exertion associated with movements, the blood flow supporting the activities of neurons in the central and peripheral nervous systems, and the regulation of temperature, as well as supporting digestion and absorption. Reduced blood flow could be related to the pathological pathways of sarcopenia. Studies have shown that the age-related decline in blood flow reduces the exchange of oxygen, energy sources, metabolites, and heat between blood and cells, thereby aggravating the trophic state in cells. This chapter addresses vascular aging, focusing on the roles of the functions of skeletal muscle and cerebral, ocular, splanchnic, and skin vessels on locomotion and exercise. Sarcopenia could be bidirectionally related to marked impairments in the cardiovascular system resulting from reduced muscle activity.