Get Stronger - Loss of Strength With Age - Sarcopenia - a podcast by Discussions with successful health experts such as Ben Greenfield, Terry Wa

Loss of Strength with age and what to do about it – Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Your muscles tend to grow larger and stronger from the baby stage to around the time you turn 30. But in your 30S, your muscles start to lose mass and function, and this condition is called sarcopenia with aging.

You tend to lose more muscle mass and strength if you’re physically inactive. Research says you can lose as much as 3-5% of your muscle mass if you lead a sedentary life after age 30. However, even if you’re active, you’ll still lose some muscle mass, but a bit slower than when you’re inactive.

There’s no specific level of muscle mass that you need to have to diagnose sarcopenia. You tend to have reduced strength and mobility, hence, any loss of muscle mass is significant.

You tend to experience sarcopenia faster around age 75. However, the fast rate may start as late as age 80. Muscle loss is a factor in frailty and a high tendency of falls in older adults.

What are the symptoms and causes of sarcopenia?

 As you lose muscle mass and strength with age, you tend to start seeing some symptoms, such as loss of stamina and weakness. These symptoms often limit how much physical activity you can do, and this further shrinks your muscle mass.

Sarcopenia is normally seen in people who are inactive, but sometimes, people who are active experience loss of muscle mass. When active people have sarcopenia, it often suggests that other factors are contributing to it. Including:

• A decrease in the ability to convert protein into energy
• A drop in the activities of nerve cells, responsible for passing signals from the brain to the muscles to initiate movement
• Not getting enough protein or calories each day to sustain muscle mass
• Lower concentration of hormones, including testosterone, growth hormones, and insulin-like growth factors.

What can you do about sarcopenia?

Some natural ways you can treat sarcopenia include:

Exercise

The major way to handle sarcopenia is to exercise. You need to engage in more strength and resistance training. As you use different weights, and resistance bands, you’ll be able to build muscle strength and endurance.

More so, resistance training helps improve your body’s ability to convert protein to energy in less than two weeks.

However, keep in mind that the intensity, proper number, and frequencies of resistance exercise are important for getting maximum benefit with the lowest risk of injury.

That’s why you need to work with an experienced physical therapist or trainer to get the best exercise plan that would work for you.

Get enough protein and calories in your diet

Protein and calories are essential to sustain muscle mass and energy. As you grow older, you should eat more protein-rich foods and add enough calories to your diet. This way, your body gets enough nutrients to build new muscle mass and strength.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC to learn more about natural measures to treat sarcopenia and improve your muscle mass and strength even as you age.

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