Older adults naturally lose muscle as they age through a common disease called sarcopenia.
What is sarcopenia, you ask? Sarcopenia is the decline of skeletal muscle tissue due to age. Sarcopenia can cause people to lose muscle tissue and accelerate muscle loss in the elderly. This negatively impacts muscle function, balance, motor neuron function, strength, and the ability to perform daily tasks.
If you find yourself unsteady on your feet or lacking the strength you once head, sarcopenia could be to blame. On average, sarcopenia impacts between 5–13% of the population aged 60–70 years. If you're over the age of 80, those percentages could rise to about 50%.
But what is sarcopenia, and what are the symptoms? Below, we dive into what sarcopenia is and how to treat it as you age.
Please note: This post is meant for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. If you experience muscle loss and believe you have sarcopenia, please consult your healthcare provider.
What Is Sarcopenia?
The first person to coin the term “sarcopenia” was Irwin Rosenberg, who, at the time, was director of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts. In 1989 in the United States, Rosenberg used the term to describe the very common phenomenon of gradual muscle decline in the elderly. Sarcopenia is a disease characterized by a loss of muscle mass and muscle strength in older adults.
You gradually lose muscle mass as you age. In fact, after 50 years of age, most people lose muscle mass at a rate of 1–2% per year. After age 60, the decline rises to 3%. However, with sarcopenia, people lose muscle at a higher and more rapid rate.
Here's how sarcopenia progresses. Your anabolic (growth hormones that help muscles grow) become overpowered by your catabolic (breakdown hormones that break muscle fibers apart). The teeter-totter balancing act between anabolic and catabolic hormones is a natural process you experience throughout your life.
Here's the best example we can provide: Each time you exercise — particularly with resistance training — tiny muscle fibers break down. When you recover from exercise, your anabolic hormones help these muscles rebuild, allowing them to grow bigger and stronger.
However, as you age, your anabolic and catabolic hormones can become permanently out of balance. Your muscles tip the scale to the catabolic side, which causes a loss of lean body mass over time.
What Progresses Sarcopenia?
To be clear, sarcopenia is more than just mere frailty due to age.
With a significant change in body composition, sarcopenia increases your risk of falls, fractures, weight loss, and your ability to recover from injury. Unfortunately, modern environmental factors — namely a sedentary lifestyle — can further progress the loss of skeletal muscle mass.
While aging is the main cause, there are other causes of sarcopenia:
1. Living a Sedentary Lifestyle
Muscles are "use it or lose it" body parts. Unfortunately, with desk jobs becoming more prevalent than ever, people don’t get the daily physical activity they once enjoyed.
In addition, if you recently underwent surgery or are recovering from a fall, your doctor may give you strict bed rest orders. While we certainly wouldn't dissuade you from following any of your doctor’s instructions, it's important to know that being immobile leads to a loss of muscle mass.
2. Not Eating Enough Protein
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is important for every lifestyle and every age. With that being said, eating a low-protein diet could accelerate muscle wasting caused by sarcopenia.
Think back to the anabolic-versus-catabolic hormones we described earlier. When your muscles are broken down (such as after exercise) protein helps them rebuild in a process called muscle protein synthesis. Consuming amino acids such as leucine, isoleucine, and valine — the building blocks of protein — will help your muscles repair, rebuild, and even grow.
In fact, in a three-year study, participants with a higher protein intake kept nearly 40% more lean muscle mass than participants who didn't increase their protein intake.
Experts recommend eating 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of bodyweight per day.
3. Stress and Inflammation
Stress and inflammation are two primary risk factors for developing (or accelerating) sarcopenia.
Over time, inflammation — or your body's response to injury, illness, or chronic disease — can cause muscle loss. If you have (or had) certain health problems, including osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, or insulin resistance, this could prevent muscle growth.
In addition, chronic stress (which can be caused by a number of life factors) can negatively impact your muscles. Stress also causes inflammation, which can lead to muscle weakness.
Ways To Treat (And Prevent) Sarcopenia as You Age
While sarcopenia is fairly common in older adults, there are ways to prevent it (and slow its progress). If you have sarcopenia, your goal should be to build muscle through diet and exercise. Below, we share a few actionable steps that can move you towards the prevention of sarcopenia.
Note: Always speak to your physical therapist about developing an exercise routine that's right for you.
1. Implement Strength Training Into Your Daily Routine
As someone with sarcopenia, daily exercise is a must.
But it's not just about getting enough exercise — it's about getting enough of the right type of exercise. Resistance exercises are far more effective at building muscle than cardio (which can actually break down muscles further).
To build strength and muscle, look for an activity that fits your fitness level. Doing a daily yoga practice, exercising your core, performing exercises from a chair, using resistance bands, or even walking at an incline are some forms of strength training that are safe at any age.
2. Increase Your Protein and Vitamin D Intake
As stated earlier, increasing your protein intake will help build muscle. Try to include a protein source at every meal, such as salmon, chicken, tofu, or black beans.
Increasing your vitamin D intake will help protect your bones against falls and fractures, which are two common side effects of sarcopenia. You can get vitamin D through eating certain foods, such as dairy products and leafy greens, or by taking supplements.
3. Protect Yourself Against Falls
Since a drastic loss in muscle can negatively impact your motor neuron health (i.e., the mind-muscle connection which allows you to maintain your balance and perform daily tasks), sarcopenia increases your risk of falls.
With falls being the number one cause of injury in older people, you need to take actionable steps to prepare for them. If you have sarcopenia, remove anything that causes uneven footing (like rugs), install guard rails in high-risk areas such as the kitchen, shower, bathroom, and by your bed, and use a cane when walking up stairs.
Lastly, any person who lives alone with sarcopenia should install the Snug app on their phone. With Snug, you do a one-click daily check-in to let a loved one know you're safe. If you miss a check-in, we will alert your emergency contact to come to check on you.
Sarcopenia Is Common but Treatable
For those who wonder, “What is sarcopenia?”, it’s a loss of muscle mass amongst older adults.
Sarcopenia can cause weight loss, balance loss, and severe muscle weakness. Sarcopenia can worsen due to a sedentary lifestyle or low-protein diet.
While sarcopenia is common, it is both treatable and preventable. Begin a regular exercise routine with a focus on resistance training, and increase your protein intake to help with muscle growth. In addition, since sarcopenia increases your risk of falls, you should fall-proof your home.
If you live alone with sarcopenia, the Snug app can help keep you safe and independent. If you miss a check-in, we will alert a close loved one to come and check on you. Therefore, you always have someone looking out for you.