Sarcopenia is the main factor leading to disability and decreased quality of life in the elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Many studies show that short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs)are involved in the regulation of intracellular signal transduction and insulin sensitivity,inflammatory factors,protein metabolism and fatty acid oxidation in muscle cells,and have a protective effect in the elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated with sarcopenia.This article reviews the above contents in order to provide a new method for clinical intervention of type 2 diabetes mellitus combined with sarcopenia in the elderly.