Sarcopenia: Muscle Weakness Creeps Up With Age

Muscle strength wanes as a result of denervation in the muscles’ motor units and a transformation from rapid type II muscle fibers to slower type I muscle fibers. Muscle strength declines by 1.5% a year in individuals ages 50 to 60 and then 3% annually from age 60 onward.1 "Especially in diseases like diabetes, cardiac [congestive] heart failure, and COPD, if we can fix the muscles early, the chances of the person functioning better, being less likely to go to the hospital, less likely to die, and less likely to develop functional deterioration are becoming very apparent, Exercise—particularly resistance exercise—builds muscle strength, muscle mass, and physical performance. Particularly relevant for patients with sarcopenia is the strength section, which presents ways to use weights, resistance bands, and common objects at home to build muscle strength without needing to go to a gym.5 No exercise regimen is complete, however, without a good nutritional plan to complement it. recommends that those older than 65 consume at least 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day, evenly distributed during main meals. The researchers also found that dietary protein supplementation for at least 3 months may result in positive effects in older individuals who are malnourished and frailer.6 "For people who are already taking in enough protein, taking protein alone doesn’t really improve a person's muscle strength," Dr. Manini cautions. "You have to couple it with resistance exercise." Because the elderly also experience vitamin D deficiency, a daily dose of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is recommended to prevent diminished muscle strength and frailty. Data show that 800 IU/day or more of vitamin D3 appears to improve muscle strength and reduce the risk of falls.7 http://www.medpagetoday.com/resource-center/Nutrition-in-the-Elderly/Sarcopenia/a/58559?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-10-13&eun=g721819d0r&pos=7