Do you find that maintaining muscle mass harder than it used to be? Or do you feel like you’re losing strength?
The cause could be sarcopenia—which is just the medical term for age-related muscle loss.
While losing muscle mass with age might seem inevitable, sarcopenia is not something you have to accept. Understanding what causes muscle loss can go a long way toward helping you to maintain your strength and mobility as you age.
Let’s explore what sarcopenia is, why it happens, and most importantly…what you can do to prevent or reverse it.
What Is Sarcopenia?
Sarcopenia comes from the Greek words “sarx” (flesh) and “penia” (loss). Simply put, sarcopenia is the progressive loss of muscle mass and strength that occurs with aging.
For most people, muscle mass begins to decline around the age of 30. Initially, muscle loss is gradual…about 3-8% per decade. But after age 60, the rate at which muscle loss occurs often accelerates significantly.
Without intervention, a person can lose 30-50% of their muscle mass between ages 30 and 80.
Setting cosmetic concerns aside, muscle loss can have serious consequences for a person’s overall health and their ability to function.
Why Sarcopenia Matters
Strong muscles do far more than help you to lift heavy objects. They’re essential for:
Metabolic Health
Muscle tissue is metabolically active. It burns calories at a faster pace than fat tissue, even when you’re at rest. This means that when you lose muscle mass, your metabolism slows down.
Blood Sugar Control
Muscles are the primary site for glucose storage and utilization. Less muscle mass means a reduced capacity for properly managing blood sugar, which increases the risk for developing insulin resistance and diabetes.
Bone Health
Strong muscles support strong bones. Muscle loss is often accompanied by bone loss, which increases the risk for developing osteoporosis.
Balance and Mobility
Weak muscles make falls more likely. And falls become increasingly dangerous with age.
Independence
Muscle strength is essential for everyday activities like:
- Getting up from a chair
- Climbing stairs
- Lifting everyday items like a bag of groceries or a basket of laundry
In other words, losing muscle mass can mean losing the ability to do these things independently.
What Causes Sarcopenia?
Several factors contribute to age-related muscle loss:
1. Hormonal Changes
Hormones play a crucial role in building and maintaining muscle mass:
- Testosterone is essential for muscle growth in both men and women.
- Growth Hormone stimulates muscle protein synthesis.
- Estrogen helps to preserve muscle strength, especially in women.
- Thyroid regulates metabolism and protein synthesis.
Meanwhile, the body’s ability to produce these hormones declines with age.
2. Decreased Physical Activity
Too often people become less active as they age. A sedentary lifestyle can lead to “use it or lose it” muscle loss.
3. Poor Nutrition
Adequate protein intake is essential for maintaining muscle mass. Some people simply don’t consume enough protein, while others will have difficulty absorbing and utilizing protein as they get older.
4. Chronic Inflammation
Age-related inflammation accelerates muscle breakdown and can interfere with muscle repair.
5. Insulin Resistance
When cells become resistant to insulin, muscles are inefficient at taking up the glucose and amino acids needed for muscle growth and repair.
6. Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Mitochondria are essentially the powerhouses within your cells. As mitchondria decline with age, muscles have less energy available for maintenance and repair.
Warning Signs of Sarcopenia
The following can be indicative of muscle loss:
- Decreased strength
- Unexplained weight loss
- Falls or balance problems
- Feeling tired and weak
- Difficulty climbing stairs
- Slow walking speed
- Loss of endurance
How to Prevent and Reverse Sarcopenia
The good news is that sarcopenia is largely preventable, and can even be reversible with the right approach:
1. Resistance Training Is Essential
Strength training is the most effective way to build and maintain muscle mass. This type of exercise stimulates muscle protein synthesis and triggers hormonal responses that support muscle growth.
If you don’t want to work out at a gym, bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, or free weights at home can all be effective.
Aim for:
- At least 2-3 strength training sessions per week
- Exercises that target all major muscle groups
- Progressive overload (i.e. gradually increasing resistance over time)
2. Consume Adequate Protein
Protein provides the building blocks for building muscle. Typically, people need more protein as they age to maintain their muscle mass.
Aim for:
- 1.0-1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily.
- High-quality protein sources like lean meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and legumes.
- Protein intake that is distributed throughout the day.
Don’t be afraid to use protein powder if you aren’t getting enough protein from your diet.
3. Stay Active Throughout the Day
In addition to structured exercise, try to stay active throughout the day with more:
- Walking
- Stair climbing
- Standing and moving regularly
4. Ensure Adequate Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential for muscle function, with many people being deficient in the absence of vitamin D supplementation.
5. Support Your Nutrition with Other Key Supplements
Several other supplements can help to preserve muscle mass:
- Creatine improves muscle strength and power
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids reduce inflammation and support muscle protein synthesis
- Leucine is an amino acid that triggers muscle protein synthesis
6. Manage Inflammation
Chronic inflammation accelerates muscle loss. Reduce inflammation through:
- An anti-inflammatory diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and omega-3 fatty acids
- Supplementing antioxidants (like alpha lipoic acid)
- Regular exercise
- Stress management
- Adequate sleep
7. Optimize Your Hormones
Given the crucial role hormones play in maintaining muscle mass, addressing hormone deficiencies is essential for maintaining muscle mass.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can:
- Restore testosterone to support muscle growth and strength
- Optimize growth hormone for better muscle maintenance
- Balance thyroid to support metabolism and protein synthesis
- Restore estrogen to preserve muscle strength
When hormones are optimized, building and maintaining muscle mass becomes significantly easier.
The Time to Act Is Now
Sarcopenia isn’t an inevitable part of aging. With the right approach, you can preserve your muscle mass and strength.
The key is to start now. The earlier you take action to preserve your muscle mass, the better your results will be. And even if you’ve already lost muscle, it’s never too late to start rebuilding.
At Renew Youth, we understand that maintaining muscle mass requires a comprehensive approach that includes balanced hormones, nutrition, and exercise. We’re here to help you develop a personalized plan for preserving your strength and vitality. Are you ready to get started? Call us at (800) 858-7511 or use our easy contact form to schedule your complimentary 30-minute consultation.