Sarcopenia, a prevalent degenerative condition affecting skeletal muscle in the elderly, poses significant challenges to healthcare systems and individuals. Current management strategies include nutritional interventions, physical therapy, and lifestyle modifications, but no pharmaceutical agents are specifically approved for treatment. This review aims to provide an updated framework on sarcopenia, covering its etiology, pathogenesis, risk factors, and conventional treatments, while also discussing emerging therapeutic approaches. The pathogenesis of sarcopenia involves complex interrelated internal and external factors, including inflammation, autophagy, mitochondrial dysfunction, and defective myogenesis. External factors such as poor diet, lack of physical activity, and hormone imbalances exacerbate muscle deterioration. Age is a critical factor, with inadequate physical activity and altered gene regulation driving its progression. Systemic inflammation, characterized by increased proinflammatory cytokines and reduced anti-inflammatory cytokines, further contributes to muscle tissue microenvironment changes and impaired regeneration. Conventional treatments for sarcopenia include resistance and endurance exercises, nutritional support, and pharmacological agents like myostatin inhibitors, anabolic steroids, and growth hormones. However, these treatments have variable efficacy and side effects. Emerging therapeutic approaches focus on new drug formulations, drug delivery systems, stem cell therapies, and tissue-engineered scaffolds. For instance, exerkins, growth-promoting agents, and hormone modulation are being explored. Drug delivery systems aim to target therapeutic agents specifically to muscle tissues, reducing systemic exposure and side effects. Stem cell therapies, particularly mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), show promise in enhancing muscle regeneration and function. Tissue-engineered scaffolds mimic the native extracellular matrix to facilitate the formation of functional skeletal muscle tissue. Despite the progress, challenges remain, including the need for more effective drug delivery systems, better understanding of the molecular mechanisms, and further clinical trials to validate the efficacy and safety of emerging treatments.Sarcopenia, a prevalent degenerative condition affecting skeletal muscle in the elderly, poses significant challenges to healthcare systems and individuals. Current management strategies include nutritional interventions, physical therapy, and lifestyle modifications, but no pharmaceutical agents are specifically approved for treatment. This review aims to provide an updated framework on sarcopenia, covering its etiology, pathogenesis, risk factors, and conventional treatments, while also discussing emerging therapeutic approaches. The pathogenesis of sarcopenia involves complex interrelated internal and external factors, including inflammation, autophagy, mitochondrial dysfunction, and defective myogenesis. External factors such as poor diet, lack of physical activity, and hormone imbalances exacerbate muscle deterioration. Age is a critical factor, with inadequate physical activity and altered gene regulation driving its progression. Systemic inflammation, characterized by increased proinflammatory cytokines and reduced anti-inflammatory cytokines, further contributes to muscle tissue microenvironment changes and impaired regeneration. Conventional treatments for sarcopenia include resistance and endurance exercises, nutritional support, and pharmacological agents like myostatin inhibitors, anabolic steroids, and growth hormones. However, these treatments have variable efficacy and side effects. Emerging therapeutic approaches focus on new drug formulations, drug delivery systems, stem cell therapies, and tissue-engineered scaffolds. For instance, exerkins, growth-promoting agents, and hormone modulation are being explored. Drug delivery systems aim to target therapeutic agents specifically to muscle tissues, reducing systemic exposure and side effects. Stem cell therapies, particularly mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), show promise in enhancing muscle regeneration and function. Tissue-engineered scaffolds mimic the native extracellular matrix to facilitate the formation of functional skeletal muscle tissue. Despite the progress, challenges remain, including the need for more effective drug delivery systems, better understanding of the molecular mechanisms, and further clinical trials to validate the efficacy and safety of emerging treatments.