Sarcopenia is a condition involving the loss of muscle mass. Sarcopenia mainly affects those over age 50, and the rate increases with age. People with sarcopenia lose muscle mass, but the quality of their muscle fibers also declines, and they become less functional. Sarcopenia is widespread and more serious than people think. Since loss of muscle also increases insulin resistance, tackling the problem of insulin resistance is beneficial for your overall health.
The rise in sarcopenia is a trend that many healthcare professionals are ignoring. Sarcopenia is a natural consequence of aging, but one that’s worsened by a lack of physical activity and an unhealthy lifestyle. So, sarcopenia can be improved through lifestyle changes. It’s also a disease of aging. Growing older may make you wiser, but it also leads to physical changes that make you more susceptible to disease and injury.
Why Sarcopenia is So Damaging to Your Health
One of the most noticeable signs of aging is muscle atrophy, a decrease in muscle size. As muscles shrink, strength and power diminish. This makes doing tasks you once did with ease harder. In extreme cases, muscles can atrophy, or lose size, to the point where it’s hard to rise from a chair.
Having sarcopenia also increases the risk of falls and fractures. Hip fractures are the most serious type of fracture associated with sarcopenia, and a hip fracture can be permanently disabling. Sarcopenia is a symptom of aging, but it’s not an inevitable part of growing old. While research into treatments for sarcopenia is still in its infancy, there are steps you can take to preserve your muscle mass and prevent this problem from occurring in the first place.
Muscle Protein Synthesis Slows with Age
As adults age, they lose muscle mass, but it becomes harder to build muscle through strength training after 60. Why? It’s a phenomenon called anabolic resistance. Older muscles are less responsive to the signals that tell them to grow. So, older adults not only need strength training, but they also need more protein in their diet to overcome anabolic resistance.
Beyond protein, there’s also evidence that consuming more omega-3s may help fight anabolic resistance. One theory is that low-grade inflammation causes anabolic resistance, which increases with age. By countering inflammation, omega-3s may reduce anabolic resistance.
Long-chain omega-3s are abundant in fatty fish, like wild-caught salmon and sardines. Some plant-based foods, like walnuts, hemp seeds, flaxseed, and chia seeds contain short-chain omega-3s. However, there’s more evidence to support the benefits of the long-chain form, the type in fatty fish, and fish oil.
There’s a Formula for Preventing Sarcopenia
You can’t prevent all muscle loss, but lifestyle can significantly reduce it. Studies show some older athletes have a body composition like that of a young person. Randomized controlled trials, the highest quality kind, show that consuming enough protein in combination with progressive strength training at least twice per week can reduce muscle loss due to aging.
Beyond adequate protein and strength training, getting enough sleep (at least 7 hours per night) and managing stress are essential. Poor-quality sleep and chronic stress increase cortisol production, leading to muscle breakdown.
Without Lifestyle, You’ll Lose Half of Your Muscle by Age 80
By the fourth decade of life, muscle loss starts to occur linearly. By the time you reach the eighth decade of life, you’ll have lost up to half of the muscle you had as a young adult.
Scientists don’t know the exact cause of muscle aging, but it seems multifactorial. Probable causes include:
- Low-grade inflammation
- Underlying chronic diseases
- Hormonal changes that occur with aging
- A reduction in satellite cells, cells that help create new muscle tissue
- Lack of physical activity
- Dietary factors, like insufficient protein and calories
Regardless of the cause, lifestyle factors, like consuming more protein and strength training, can reduce how much muscle strength and mass you lose as you age. That, in turn, helps stave off some of the other conditions that sarcopenia places you at risk for including insulin resistance, balance issues, gait disturbances, and lack of stamina.
You Can Have Sarcopenia and Not Know It
There isn’t a blood test you can take to determine whether you have sarcopenia. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), used to measure bone density, is also a useful test for determining whether someone has sarcopenia. However, doctors often use indirect measures of whether there’s a significant loss of muscle mass and functionality, such as walking speed and handgrip strength. These can be helpful measures for people who don’t want a DXA scan.
Signs and symptoms of sarcopenia include:
- A reduction in muscle size and strength
- Difficulty climbing stairs or walking up hills
- Reduced stamina
- Poor balance and a tendency to fall
It’s All About Quality of Life
Research shows that loss of muscle mass and strength increases mortality and disability risk. Strength training isn’t only for aesthetics, it’s also for staying fit and functional. Working muscles against resistance is the best medicine for sarcopenia, and you don’t need a gym to do it. You can work your muscles with resistance bands or even your body weight. The key is to train progressively so that your muscles work harder over time. Research shows you can build greater strength and muscle mass at any age. It’s never too late, but the best time to start is now!
References:
- Nowson C, O’Connell S. Protein Requirements and Recommendations for Older People: A Review. Nutrients. 2015 Aug 14;7(8):6874-99. doi: 10.3390/nu7085311. PMID: 26287239; PMCID: PMC4555150.
- von Haehling S, Morley JE, Anker SD. An overview of sarcopenia: facts and numbers on prevalence and clinical impact. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2010 Dec;1(2):129-133. doi: 10.1007/s13539-010-0014-2. Epub 2010 Dec 17. PMID: 21475695; PMCID: PMC3060646.
- Morton RW, Traylor DA, Weijs PJM, Phillips SM. Defining anabolic resistance: implications for delivery of clinical care nutrition. Curr Opin Crit Care. 2018 Apr;24(2):124-130. doi: 10.1097/MCC.0000000000000488. PMID: 29389741.
- Rennie MJ. Anabolic resistance: the effects of aging, sexual dimorphism, and immobilization on human muscle protein turnover. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2009 Jun;34(3):377-81. doi: 10.1139/H09-012. PMID: 19448702.
- Roth SM, Ferrell RF, Hurley BF. Strength training for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia. J Nutr Health Aging. 2000;4(3):143-55. PMID: 10936901.
- Padilla Colon CJ, Sanchez Collado P, Cuevas MJ. Beneficios del entrenamiento de fuerza para la prevención y tratamiento de la sarcopenia [Benefits of strength training for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia]. Nutr Hosp. 2014 May 1;29(5):979-88. Spanish. doi: 10.3305/nh.2014.29.5.7313. PMID: 24951975.
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