It’s normal for people to lose some muscular mass as they age. However, a lot of people are unaware that this isn’t only a typical aspect of growing older. It is referred to as sarcopenia. One of the main characteristics of sarcopenia is the loss of muscular mass and strength. Because of that, daily chores like lifting become difficult. Study states that, “muscle strength declines by 1.5% between ages 50 and 60 and by 3% thereafter.” If you have this disease, you are at risk of falling, getting hurt, or maybe developing other health issues.
Process of Sarcopenia
As we age, the muscle fibers get smaller. This is because our body doesn’t repair muscles as easily as it used to. Weaker muscles result in less power. As we age, our muscles really weaken, especially the ones that allow us to move quickly or lift heavy objects. The loss of these fibers causes the muscles to weaken and shrink.
As we get older, our body also makes less protein. Since protein helps in muscle growth and repair, a lack of it prevents muscles from growing back as powerfully as they were before. Those who have weaker muscles prefer to move less, which further depletes their muscles. Because of this, you grow weaker muscles the less you use them.
In addition, people also deal with different health issues like arthritis or diabetes, which also have an effect on the muscles. These health issues also make the muscles weaker than usual. Information from this foundation also speaks of the breakdown of muscles.
Symptoms of Sarcopenia
- Weak muscle
- Losing balance
- Slower movement
- Trouble with everyday tasks
- Losing weight
- Getting tired easily
- Muscle pain
Causes of Sarcopenia
Lifestyle: If you don’t move around or exercise, your muscles will not be used enough to maintain their strength when. Sitting for the majority of the day deprives muscles of the exercise they need, which eventually leads to their weakness and shrinkage.
Poor Nutrient: Not having enough protein, vitamins, and minerals can affect your muscles. As mentioned earlier, protein is important to help build and repair muscles. Without enough of it, the muscles can become weak.
Micronutrients like vitamins and minerals can also help muscles work properly, and not getting enough of them in your diet can make sarcopenia worse.
Hormonal Changes: As people age, the body produces less of certain hormones like testosterone and estrogen. These hormones help maintain muscle strength. So when their levels go down, it can make the muscles weaker. It is also part of the natural aging process.
Chronic Diseases: If someone has a long-term health problem like diabetes, arthritis, or cancer, it makes sarcopenia worse. This disease often causes the body to become inflamed, which can speed up muscle breakdown. Inflammation makes the muscle weaker and harder to maintain, which causes faster muscle loss.
Bottom Line
Sarcopenia is when your muscles get weaker and smaller as you get older, making everyday tasks harder. It’s not just a normal part of aging but a condition that affects about 30% of people over 60 and more than 50% of people over 80. This can lead to more falls, injuries, and other health problems. Sarcopenia happens because of things like not moving enough, not eating enough healthy food, hormone changes, and health problems like arthritis or diabetes.
