Sarcopenia is the loss of skeletal muscle mass and coordination, often due to aging, caused by protein deficiencies and hormonal changes. Exercise and dietary changes can help minimize its effects.
Sarcopenia is a medical condition that refers to the degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass and coordination, usually as a result of the aging process. Protein deficiencies and changes in hormone concentration are generally considered to be the specific causes of sarcopenia. The term sarcopenia comes from the Greek and literally means “poverty of the flesh”.
Because muscle mass is made up of protein, the body typically seeks an ideal balance between protein use and production to ensure muscle health. As people age, the body’s ability to produce protein decreases. The hormonal changes that occur with aging also affect this production, as hormones are a major source for protein production.
The result of this decrease in protein usually leads to the body’s inability to maintain muscle mass. Most of the common signs of aging, such as wrinkled skin, sunken rib cage, and stooping caused by decreased muscular support for the spinal cord, can be attributed to this process. Sarcopenia also impairs motor coordination, as atrophy of muscle mass makes movement more difficult. This is generally why older people may lack coordination or move more slowly.
Some medical experts estimate that sarcopenia results in the loss of a fifth of a pound of the body’s muscle mass for every year a person lives past age 25. Other studies show that between the ages of 25 and 80, the decrease in skeletal muscle mass reaches 30%, even if we consider people in perfect health. Medical case studies have also shown that the process of sarcopenia generally increases after the age of 80.
While sarcopenia is usually related to aging, it can occur in other contexts as well. Environmental conditions and exposure to pollution can cause symptoms of sarcopenia. Various degenerative diseases can also lead to sarcopenia or have sarcopenia as a symptom.
While the aging process is inevitable, there are numerous ways to minimize the effects of sarcopenia. Exercise can generally help maintain strength in muscle mass and maintain some level of motor coordination. This can help compensate for the natural loss of protein that the aging process brings. Some studies have shown that exercise programs known as Specific Resistance Training (SRT), which incorporates chest presses and leg presses, can help build muscle strength, particularly in the lower legs. Nutritional and dietary changes or supplements may also be prohibited as a means of reducing the effect of sarcopenia.
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