The Loss of Skeletal Muscle Mass Begins at the Age of 30!

“Sarcopenia” is the degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass, which can interfere with physical activity by slowing down our walking speed, limiting our body movement, which leads to a reduction in the body’s strength. Before 30, our body accumulates muscle mass. However, after the age of 30, people can lose as much as 3% to 5% of their muscle mass each decade. As we age, the speed of muscle loss increases.

 We initially have a lot of muscle “mass”, and therefore, will not detect any problem. However, after the age of 50, we start to feel weak. It becomes difficult for us to run to catch the subway or bus. Sometimes when we want to carry some garbage to the recycling bins, we realize we don’t have the strength to hold firm, leading to a pile of garbage on the floor. After we turn 65, the speed of muscle loss further increases, not only does it affect the quality of life, it also increases the risk of falling, bone fracture, and even being confined to bed due to weak muscle, making life miserable.  

The muscle mass in our body is constantly changing, you can think of it as a balance scale. On one side, the muscles grow and repair damaged muscle fibers; On the other, the muscles are damaged. Our body gives out signals for the muscles to remain balanced during the metabolism process. When there is too much muscle loss, the scale loses balance and the body faces the risk of sarcopenia. So what are the reasons that causes the speed of muscle loss to increase? 

The main cause is due to living a sedentary lifestyle. Some people remain seated for long periods because of their work, some people are confined to the bed due to sickness or surgery, some people undergo tocolytic treatment and cannot move around freely for three months. When we get little or no physical activity, the loss of muscle tissue progress rapidly. When muscle mass decreases, strength reduces, and we may feel fatigue just by walking a few kilometers. This may lead to a vicious cycle, the less we move, the more rapidly our muscle decreases. 

Though it is said that sarcopenia often happens to people who doesn’t get enough exercise, you may also realize that some elderlies may seem busy, doing house chores, gardening, yet their health continues to decline. Usually, people blame this on old age, saying, “Well, there’s noting to do about it, that’s what happens when you get old!” However, aging is not the only cause. Some elderlies have poor teeth condition, some doesn’t have the will to cook nor to go out and buy food, some suffer decreased appetite. To conclude, poor dietary habits causes the body to lack the nutrition and energy to maintain muscle balance. In the long term, the lack of calories, proteins, vitamins and minerals intake is also a contributing factor to the loss of muscle mass. 

In addition, other factors that may impact the balance of muscle mass include hormones. For instance, the lack of growth hormone or testosterone will make the rate of protein synthesis slower than that of protein degradation. Muscle contraction requires multiple proteins to release a message in the form of a neurotransmitter. When the process of protein synthesis is affected, muscle contraction decreases. Moreover, as we age, neurotransmitter within the brain that affects our physical activity decreases, causing our movement to become unbalanced and less accurate, and it also affects out muscle mass and muscle contraction.

Resistance Training is the Key to Fighting Sarcopenia!

To fight sarcopenia, the best way is to do resistance training and eat healthy. When it comes to exercising, we all think, gardening and walking are amongst the exercises suitable for the elderlies, but can these activities really prevent sarcopenia? The answer is, the effect is trivial. The best way to build muscle is to practice “resistance training”. 

Resistance training is the training of movements with the use of external resistance. When an object brings resistance, it induces muscular contraction. When muscle fiber experience tension it generates hormones and balances neurotransmitter, sending signals that boost the growth of muscle to stimulate protein synthesis within the skeletal muscle. Therefore, resistance training can build muscle and increase muscle strength and endurance.

There are different types of resistance training for everyone. Aquatic resistance training, elastic band, bodyweight training are all possible ways. According to studies, benefits can be seen upon two weeks of starting resistance training. However, workout injuries may occur after exercising, therefore, it is essential to keep control of your exercise frequency and strength. If you’re not sure where to start, find a physical therapist or coach to build your own workout plan.

Balanced Diet is the Solution! 

How can we eat healthy? First of all, we must consume a sufficient number of calories. We’ve mentioned in the beginning, the elderlies may eat less and less due to all kinds of problems. If we don’t consume enough calories, then the body will start to dissolve stored glycogen, protein, and fat. In the long term, insufficient calorie intake will cause the muscle to dissolve which will lead to muscle loss! When there is enough nutrition however, exercising brings even greater benefits. 

Studies have shown that insufficient protein intake have a clear link with sarcopenia. Consuming protein will help the muscle grow. As we age, we need even more protein to boost muscle growth. If the kidneys are fully functional, for every kilogram, we can consume 1 to 1.2 grams of protein. That is to say, a women weighing sixty kilograms is advised to consume 60 to 72 grams of protein. We can consume proteins with high biological value from cheese, milk, egg, meat and soy bean. To improve muscle quality, consider taking amino acid supplements, especially leucine, vitamin D, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

 Nevertheless, keep in mind that consuming sufficient amount of protein is not the only way to prevent sarcopenia. Other nutritions like carbohydrate and fat should also be consumed. Excessive protein not only will not help prevent sarcopenia, it may even be a burden to the kidneys. Hence, a balanced diet is the best solution!

Although we’ve previously mentioned that insufficient amount of growth hormone and testosterone may cause sarcopenia, it is advisable to consult a doctor before directing taking growth hormone and testosterone supplements, as they may cause blood clots, diabetes, and other side effects.

After the age of 30, it is time to fight sarcopenia. We should all get into the habit of doing regular exercise and resistance training. Also, don’t forget to keep a balanced and healthy diet! 

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