In the news: Holding Sarcopenia at Bay

What is Sarcopenia?

Sarcopenia is something faced by many people as they age: a loss of muscle mass and strength. Muscle loss is common in older individuals and that can definitely have consequences.The condition comes with an increased risk for falls, fractures, complications after surgery, physical disability and mortality.

Sarcopenia that results from no other underlying cause except for age, is considered primary. Sarcopenia is referred to as secondary when factors other than age are present, such as cancer, malnutrition or physical inactivity.

When do muscle mass and strength start to decline? It can vary but often begins when one is in their forties and accelerates with advancing age. After the age of 50, losing 1-2% of leg muscle mass yearly and losing 1.5%–5% of muscle strength per year have been noted.

Identifying Sarcopenia

If you are older and walking slowly, feeling weak, having falls and finding it tough to get out of a chair, you might be experiencing sarcopenia. Diagnosis can be made by assessing grip strength which measures how firmly and securely one can hold onto things and how heavy the things are that you can grip. Lower body strength can be determined by timing how long it takes to get up 5 times from a seated position without using your arms.

What Causes the Condition?

There is a broad array of factors thought to be involved in developing sarcopenia. Many of those factors are not fully understood, but are considered a natural result of aging.

Some of these factor include decreased muscle fiber size, hormonal changes, loss of appetite and less physical activity. Aging also makes us less likely to respond efficiently to building muscle when stimulated by dietary protein and exercise. Inflammation, insulin resistance, and accumulating fat tissue may be additional contributors.

Despite the complexity of factors that can lead to loss of muscle and strength, there are simple ways to help stave off or combat sarcopenia. And the time to start is now!

How Can We Counter Sarcopenia?/p>

Resistance exercise is key. Simple resistance training exercises such as squats, bicep curls, leg lifts, wall push-ups and resistance bands can help seniors ward off sarcopenia. Start slowly with light weights, and gradually up repetitions.

Resistance exercise works better when combined with good quality dietary protein, because older people have an impaired response to making muscles when eating protein. Aim for a total protein intake of 1.2–1.6 grams per kilogram (2.2 lbs.) of your body weight daily, distributed throughout the day.

Include foods high in leucine, an amino acid that sends signals to activate the production of new muscle protein. Research indicates that older adults need twice as much leucine versus younger adults for similar protein activation. Examples of leucine rich foods include eggs, chicken, tuna, salmon, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried broad beans and chickpeas.

Researchers are also investigating the ability of a leucine metabolite, supplemental hydroxy beta-methyl butyrate or HMB, to improve strength and muscle mass in older adults by impeding the breakdown of protein. Several recent studies suggest that HMB is more effective when individuals have sufficient vitamin D.

Taking a daily multi-vitamin supplement to help ensure adequate vitamin D intake and B-vitamins may be helpful. A new sudy has linked an increased intake of vitamins B1 and B2 to lower sarcopenia risk.

In terms of overall diet, following the mediterranean way of eating is associated with better lower extremity functioning, mobility, and walking speed.

References

1. McKendry J, et al. Review. Nutritional supplements to support resistance exercise in countering the sarcopenia of aging. Nutrients.12(7):2057, 2020.
2. Rathmacher JA, et al. Long-term Effects of calcium β-Hydroxy-β-Methylbutyrate and vitamin D3 supplementation on muscular function in older adults with and without resistance training: A randomized, double-blind, controlled study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 75:2089-97, 2020
3. Sha Yang, et al. Assoiation of vitamins B1 and B2 with early-onset sarcopenia in the general adult population of the US: a cross sectional study of NHANES data. From 2011-2018. Front in Nutr. Volume 11, 2024.