What is Sarcopenia with Ageing? 

Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle mass. Ageing is the process of getting old. Therefore, Sarcopenia with Ageing is the involuntary gradual loss of muscle mass and function as we get older. This process generally begins to occur once we pass the age of 30 years old and head towards 40! Inactive people tend to lose 3-5% of their total muscle mass per decade, but even the active people tend to lose a little bit too.  This process tends to speed up even more once you hit the age of 65-75 years, which leads us to frailty and falls.  

Muscle mass is something we want to preserve as much as possible. The reason being, our muscles are what helps us move and stay balanced, helps our metabolism (manage our weight), maintain our bone density and among many other reasons, helps us stay independent for longer!   

 

Symptoms and Causes 

• Weakness/Decrease in strength 

• Loss of stamina 

• Hormonal changes 

• Declines in activity 

• Osteopenia 

• Loss of Balance 

  • Falls​

• Chronic illness and disease 

• Poor nutrition  

  • Inadequate protein in the diet 

 

  

How do we prevent Sarcopenia? 

As we age, we lose muscle mass. This we cant stop, but we can slow the process down. The two most important things to incorporate into you lifestyle is having adequate nutrition and performing physical activity weekly. 

By implementing strength training 2-3 times per week with one of our Accredited Exercise Physiologists (AEPs), will help increase your muscle strength and endurance. Resistance training will help increase your bodies ability to turn protein into energy and build stronger muscles! 

It is important to perform the right amount of exercises, at the right intensity and frequency to minimize risk of injury and maximize the benefits. You should work with one of our experienced AEPs to develop an exercise program.  

 

Ensuring the ageing population is having adequate nutrition is also very important in relation to muscle mass and strength. Without the right nutrition, essential vitamins, mineral and fibre will be lacking and can contribute to general un-wellness and can exacerbate chronic illnesses.  

If you are unsure of your current dietary intake, Seniors Fitness advises you make an appointment with a qualified dietitian to look at a suitable dietary plan for you. If you don't have one, we have you covered! Give us a call today and we will let you know who to see.

 

If we don’t prevent the loss of muscle mass, it can be very detrimental to our balance. Loss of balance can have a domino effect on your health and wellbeing. For example, if you have a fall because you lost your balance while walking to the shops, fall over and fracture your hip, you are increasing the likelihood of dying by more than 3.5 times within the first 12 months compared to those with no fracture.  This is just an example of what can happen if we don’t implement some form of exercise to prevent Sarcopenia. 

 

If you think you need a helping hand, whether it be a home based exercise program or a program performed in the clinic, one of our friendly Accredited Exercise Physiologists (AEP) will be happy to help! Sarcopenia with ageing can be very debilitating so if you can get on top of it before it gets on top of you, your overall physical and mental health will thank you later. 

Book in with one of our incredibly friendly AEPs today and they will prescribe you with an appropriate individualized exercise program based on your current health conditions and goals. 

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We want you to Age With Confidence!