Sarcopenia Treatment Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2025 - 2030)

Global Sarcopenia Treatment Market Trends and Insights

Accelerating Global Geriatric Demographic

A rapidly aging world is sharply boosting sarcopenia prevalence. United Nations data project that people aged ≥ 65 will number 2.2 billion by the late 2070s^{[2]UN DESA, “World Population Prospects 2024,” United Nations, un.org}. Higher life expectancy raises the absolute pool of at-risk adults, and clinical studies reveal that 25.4% of older patients living with type 2 diabetes subsequently develop sarcopenia^{[1]Andrew Sayer et al., “Sarcopenia,” Nature Reviews Disease Primers, nature.com}. Payers are responding by embedding muscle-health screening into chronic-disease pathways. Japan’s community screening campaigns have already trimmed hospitalization rates tied to muscle weakness, demonstrating direct cost offsets. The upshot is earlier diagnosis, rising prescription volumes of high-quality protein blends, and heightened enrolment in exercise programmes that complement pharmacotherapy.

Intensified Biopharma Pipeline Investment

Clinical momentum is accelerating as sponsors advance SARMs and myostatin inhibitors. Rejuvenate Biomed’s RJx-01 improved grip strength and fatigue resistance in Phase 1b, prompting a Phase 2 multicentre trial in 2024. Parallel work on GLP-1–adjunct therapies has gained urgency; Veru Inc.’s enobosarm preserved 71% more lean mass than semaglutide alone in a 2025 read-out. Investor appetite is further buoyed by early indications of dual indications in osteoporosis and frailty, suggesting broader reimbursement potential. These advances signal a near-term inflection that could erode the nutritional segment’s dominance once pivotal data mature.

Formal Disease Classification and Reimbursement

Classifying sarcopenia as a standalone disease has unlocked billing codes in major markets, driving a 37% rise in recorded diagnoses since 2023. Harmonised definitions from EWGSOP2 and AWGS 2019 anchor clinical protocols around grip-strength and muscle-mass cut-offs. Although everyday practice adoption remains uneven, insurers in the United States and Germany now reimburse both DEXA imaging and targeted supplementation plans, nudging clinicians toward systematic screening. These policy shifts shorten patient journeys to treatment and improve trial recruitment by clarifying eligibility criteria.

Government Healthy-Aging and Malnutrition-Mitigation Initiatives

Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare bundles nutrition counselling with resistance-training workshops and universal frailty checks^{[3]Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, “Frailty Prevention Programs,” mhlw.go.jp}. Early evidence shows falls-related hospital stays declining, prompting South Korea and Singapore to replicate the model. At the community level, retail pharmacies partner with local authorities to dispense protein powders and vitamin-D blends at subsidised prices, enlarging addressable demand. European Union funds have similarly earmarked grants for muscle-health campaigns within the Active and Assisted Living programme.

Lack of Globally Approved Pharmacological Therapies

No drug has yet cleared either FDA or EMA review specifically for sarcopenia, keeping many physicians anchored to nutritional protocols. Late-stage candidates occasionally boost lean mass yet miss functional-endpoint hurdles, undermining regulatory confidence^{[4]Ruben Roubenoff, “Regulatory Challenges in Sarcopenia,” GeroScience, springer.com}. This gap delays payer coverage and limits prescriber willingness to label sarcopenia on claims forms, muting near-term pharmaceutical uptake even as pipelines swell.

Divergent International Diagnostic Consensus Guidelines

Conflicting cut-offs across EWGSOP2, AWGS, and ICFSR frameworks fracture global trial design. A patient flagged sarcopenic in one region may be ineligible elsewhere, complicating enrolment for multicountry studies and raising development costs. Device vendors face parallel hurdles, as their algorithms must satisfy multiple normative datasets. Until greater alignment emerges, sponsors will continue to incur extra validation and regulatory-filing expenses.

Segment Analysis

By Treatment Class: Nutritional Supplements Lead, Pharmaceuticals Accelerate

Nutritional formulations generated 80.91% of the sarcopenia treatment market revenue in 2024, bolstered by ready retail access and expanding clinical evidence that leucine-enriched protein elevates muscle-protein synthesis. Sales surged through retail pharmacies where seniors seek pharmacist counselling, while subscription e-commerce sites enhanced adherence through auto-refill. At the same time, the pharmaceutical segment is pacing ahead at a 6.99% CAGR as testosterone and ACE inhibitors progress toward pivotal trials. The sarcopenia treatment market size for pharmaceuticals could exceed USD 266 million by 2030 if first-in-class approvals align with guideline harmonisation.

Pipeline diversity underpins this acceleration. Enobosarm’s ability to mitigate GLP-1-induced lean-mass loss has attracted the interest of endocrinologists, and Epirium Bio’s MF-300 targets mitochondrial pathways, with an IND cleared in late 2024. Combination regimens pairing high-quality protein with oral SARMs are also in early testing, aiming to deliver multimodal benefits across strength, endurance, and daily-living function.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Route of Administration: Oral Dominates, Parenteral Gains Momentum

Oral therapies commanded 87.37% share of sarcopenia treatment market sales in 2024, a legacy of consumer familiarity with powders, tablets, and chewables. The convenience of once-daily sachets aligns with geriatric adherence realities, and manufacturers continue to fortify products with vitamin D, omega-3s, and probiotics for added differentiation. In contrast, parenteral options—chiefly peptide biologics delivered subcutaneously—are expanding at an 5.92% CAGR. High bioavailability and the possibility of quarterly dosing make injectables attractive for patients facing malabsorption or severe mobility limitations.

Developers are refining depot formulations to minimise clinic visits, and long-acting myostatin antibodies have shown durable increases in appendicular lean mass in early pilots. Transdermal patches remain exploratory but could open niche use cases in regional muscle loss.

By Distribution Channel: Retail Pharmacies Expand, Online Accelerates

Retail pharmacies captured 55.10% of sarcopenia treatment market share in 2024 and remain central hubs for seniors seeking point-of-care advice. Chain operators in the United States have embedded gait-speed tests beside blood-pressure kiosks, drawing incremental supplement sales. Hospital pharmacies, while smaller, supply higher-priced injectable biologics and patient-specific compounded blends to frail inpatients.

The online channel is scaling fastest at a 7.05% CAGR on the back of frictionless re-ordering, bundled virtual coaching, and loyalty rewards. Digital natives aged 55-70 increasingly purchase high-protein powders and amino-acid beverages via mobile apps, aided by evidence-based content that demystifies label claims. Major platforms now highlight sarcopenia-friendly SKUs with senior-friendly navigation filters.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Disease Type: Primary Age-Related Dominates, Secondary Gains Traction

Primary sarcopenia represented 34.46% of sarcopenia treatment market revenue in 2024, reflecting population aging in OECD nations. In India, prevalence hits 39.2% among adults ≥ 60 years, underscoring unmet need. Long-term management blends progressive-resistance training, leucine-rich protein, and emerging SARMs aimed at slowing catabolic signalling.

Secondary sarcopenia tied to chronic disease is the fastest-growing subtype, rising at 5.86% CAGR. Muscle loss complicates diabetes, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and COPD. French data show 10% of IBD outpatients meet sarcopenia cut-offs, correlating with higher surgical risk. Multispecialty clinics now incorporate muscle-mass screening into oncology and bariatric protocols, expanding the patient pool for targeted interventions.

Geography Analysis

North America accounted for 42.57% of sarcopenia treatment market revenue in 2024, driven by robust reimbursement and a dense network of geriatricians familiar with curated protein blends and investigational SARMs. FDA Fast Track status for Lipocine’s LPCN 1148 in December 2024 underscores growing regulatory focus on cirrhosis-related sarcopenia, while AI-enabled screening tools from health-tech firms help primary-care doctors spot early deficits. The sarcopenia treatment market size in the region is projected to climb steadily as Medicare Advantage plans integrate preventive muscle-health benefits.

Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing arena at a 7.17% CAGR between 2025 and 2030. Japan’s national Frailty Check programme subsidises grip-strength testing in pharmacies, while China channels public-private capital into elder-care hubs outfitted with resistance-training technology. Local pharma players such as Astellas and Jiangsu Hengrui are funnelling R&D funds into myostatin-antibody franchises tailored for East-Asian phenotypes. High smartphone penetration also accelerates adoption of tele-nutrition services that ship personalised sachets.

Europe retains a solid foothold owing to longstanding geriatric-care infrastructure and the unifying role of EWGSOP2 definitions. Germany and the United Kingdom are piloting “muscle-clinics” that co-manage osteoporosis and sarcopenia under one roof, boosting adherence. Horizon-Europe grants incentivise SMEs to develop strength-measuring wearables compliant with data-protection rules, while Mediterranean countries emphasise protein enrichment of traditional diets. South America, the Middle East, and Africa are smaller but advancing as multilateral health-aid programmes finance community-nutrition schemes that stock protein blends in primary-care centres.