Sarcopenia, is also known as muscle loss. This common condition affects 10% of adults who are over 50 years of age.
While it can decrease life expectancy and quality of life, you can improve, prevent and even reverse this condition.
Some of the causes of sarcopenia are due to natural consequence of time passing, others are preventable. In fact, a healthy diet and muscle maintenance improves this condition.
Sarcopenia is caused by an imbalance between signals for muscle cell growth and signals for teardown. Cell growth processes are called “anabolism.” Cell teardown processes are called “catabolism.”
For example, growth hormones act with protein-destroying enzymes to keep muscle steady through a cycle of growth, stress and injury, destruction and then healing.
This cycle is always occurring, and when things are in balance, muscle keeps its strength over time.
However, without muscle maintenance and the passage of time, the body becomes resistant to the normal growth signals. This changes the balance towards catabolism and muscle loss.
The increase and/or preservation of bone mass is paramount. Particularly in women as they age. Women are at higher risk because their bone oss quickens after they reach menopause.
We are a species made to move. Physical activity should be part of our daily lives. Dr. Daniel Lieberman, a Harvard evolutionary biologist states humans have evolved and adapted for a wide range of diverse physical activities. Such as long-distance running and walking in the heat, carrying, digging, and throwing objects.
Not only does strength training improve bone mass, it reduces visceral fat. It also reduces cardiovascular (heart) disease risk factors and inflammation.
Visceral fat obesity is highly associated with the development of hypertension, high blood lipids, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
Talk to your health care provider or a physical therapist to get started on a full fitness training program.
References:
“How to fight Sarcopenia (Muscle Loss Due to Aging)” written by Matthew Thorne, MD, PhD. Published in healthline.com/nutrition/sarcopenia.
“Developing A Lifelong Resistance Training Program.” Len R. Kravitz, Ph.D., CSCS, published in https://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/Fulltext2019.
