Time-Restricted Feeding/Eating and Muscle Aging: Research Progress from Molecular Mechanisms to Personalized Intervention Strategies.

Authors

Jin Liu, Kai Huang, Jun Qian, Qiaocheng Zhai

Published in

Nutrition reviews. Jun 24, 2026. Epub Jun 24, 2026.

Abstract

Sarcopenia, the age-related progressive decline of muscle mass and function, poses a severe public health challenge closely linked to metabolic disorders and reduced mobility. Time-restricted feeding or eating (TRF/TRE), which refers to confining daily food intake to a specific window regardless of specific caloric or nutrient requirements, has emerged as a pro8mising dietary strategy to regulate metabolism and delay aging. In this review, recent evidence is synthesized on TRF/TRE's regulation of muscle mass and function, and its potential as a nonpharmacological intervention for muscle aging is evaluated. A targeted literature search was conducted in PubMed. Retrieved articles were manually screened, and those highly relevant to the effects of TRF/TRE on skeletal muscle mass, function, and any underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms (such as circadian rhythm regulation, autophagy, and mitochondrial function) were included. The impact of TRF/TRE on muscle health is heterogeneous. Standalone TRF/TRE promotes fat loss; however, younger adults are particularly susceptible to lean mass attrition without concurrent exercise, whereas older cohorts show greater resilience. Combining TRF/TRE with resistance training or supplementation effectively counteracts this catabolic risk, preserving muscle integrity and function. Mechanistically, TRF/TRE mitigates muscle aging by reinforcing circadian rhythms, enhancing mitochondrial function, activating autophagy, reducing chronic inflammation, remodeling the gut microbiota, and regulating AMPK and mechanistic target of rapamycin signaling pathways. Although TRE holds broad application prospects as a nonpharmacological intervention, its successful clinical translation requires personalized strategies tailored to individual factors like age, sex, baseline metabolic phenotypes, and physical activity levels. Future research and clinical applications should focus on optimizing individualized parameters, including determining precise age-specific time windows, ensuring adequate protein timing, and combining TRE with resistance training and nutritional supplementation to effectively prevent and treat muscle aging.

PMID:
42340928
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 25 Jun 2026.

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