💊Daily Pill: What is Sarcopenia?
💊Daily Pill: What is Sarcopenia?
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The Daily Pill is a series of very short daily posts where I share the definition of a medical term I think we should all know. Read it every morning and build up your medical vocabulary.
🏋🏽♂️Sarcopenia
Sarcopenia is a condition characterized by the loss of muscle mass and strength, which typically occurs as part of the aging process. Sarcopenia can significantly affect a person's mobility, balance, and overall health, increasing the risk of falls and fractures. Although aging is the most common cause, sarcopenia can also be accelerated by factors such as a sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition, and certain medical conditions. Recognizing and addressing sarcopenia early can help mitigate its effects through lifestyle changes like improved nutrition and regular physical activity, particularly strength training exercises.
🤔Why you need to know:
“If you have the expectation of being able to kick ass when you are 80, you can not be average when you are 50” Peter Attia, MD
Rate of Decline: Individuals can lose muscle mass at a rate of about 1-2% per year after the age of 50, with strength losses potentially being even greater, ranging from 2-4% per year.
Long-term Impacts: The compounding effect of this decline underscores the importance of maintaining above-average fitness levels by middle age if one hopes to remain highly functional in older age.
Preventive Measures: The necessity of strength training and maintaining muscle mass to support strength and overall health is stressed, along with the importance of cardiorespiratory fitness.
🧠Trivia:
Hippocrates, often called the father of medicine, had keen insights into the importance of physical activity for health, especially as one ages. Even in ancient Greece, he observed that muscle wasting was prevalent among the elderly and theorized that regular physical activity could help maintain muscle strength and function. He is famously quoted as saying, "That which is used develops, and that which is not used wastes away." AKA, “Use it or lose it sweetheart!”.
Here is a real life example. An MRI (cross section of thigh muscles) showing you can fight off age-related muscle loss if you stay active:
