Why should we care about Sarcopenia?
We all want to continue doing the things we enjoy most as we age, whether that is gardening, playing sport or keeping up with the grandkids. The common theme amongst those activities, is that they require muscular strength and power to complete safely.
If we don’t place appropriate load on our muscles, our muscle mass, strength and function slowly decrease as we age. Sarcopenia is defined as a loss of muscle mass coupled with functional deterioration (i.e. loss of walking speed, walking distance and grip strength). Individuals with sarcopenia have an increased risk of falls, Type 2 diabetes, cognitive decline and cardiovascular diseases.
The causes of sarcopenia are multifactorial. The key contributing factors include;
- A lack of appropriate physical activity (in particular loaded activity and resistance exercise)
- Negative energy balance through inadequate nutrition (particularly reduced protein intake)
- Age related hormonal changes (a decrease in hormones that regulate muscle growth)
What can be done?
Our muscle tissue is adaptable to the demands we place on it. Regular exercise throughout the lifespan reduces the severity of sarcopenia and its associated comorbidities. In fact, current evidence suggests that appropriate resistance training can reverse the progression of sarcopenia.
The addition of power training has been shown to provide even greater improvements to functional outcomes compared to traditional resistance training alone in older populations. Power training can be performed in a variety of ways – a simple example would be slowly sitting down to a seat, before standing up as fast as possible.
Exercise Recommendations
For those with, or wishing to prevent sarcopenia, it is recommended that a resistance training program include:
- At least 3 sessions/week
- Exercises incorporating all major muscle groups
- Loads sufficient enough to elicit a strength response
- Incorporating elements of power training
- Incremental progression, as tolerated
- Supervision by a professional
