Muscle and Sarcopenia: The Anti-Aging Secret Few Discuss (2024)
What Is Sarcopenia?
Sarcopenia, the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, begins as early as age 30 and becomes more pronounced with age. Symptoms include reduced muscle strength, difficulty with physical tasks, and decreased muscle size. According to the Alliance for Aging Research, it affects about 10 percent of adults over 60 and nearly half of those over 80.“We lose between 5 and 15 percent of muscle mass each decade,” Dr. Sandeep Palakodeti, chief medical officer of Rebel Health Alliance, said in an interview with The Epoch Times.
How does sarcopenia affect muscle strength in older adults
The Hidden Cost of Muscle Loss
Sarcopenia has profound implications for overall health and longevity, leading to increased risks of falls, frailty, hospitalization, and even death. The reduction in muscle strength compromises balance and mobility, making falls more likely and recovery more difficult.“Maintaining muscle strength throughout life—and especially in later life—is extremely important for longevity and aging independently,” lead researcher and epidemiologist Kate Duchowny said in a statement.
The study authors suggest that muscle weakness contributes to higher mortality and disability rates because of its association with insulin resistance, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Additionally, weak individuals struggle with basic self-care and are more likely to experience disability, creating a negative feedback loop of reduced physical activity and worsening health, they explain.
Low muscle mass significantly increases vulnerability to prolonged bed rest from illness or injury, leading to faster muscle degradation and slower recovery. This condition can initiate a vicious cycle of atrophy, in which decreased muscle strength leads to reduced physical activity, further exacerbating muscle loss.
Muscle: Boosting Survival in Cancer Patients
Muscle loss in cancer patients often results from cachexia, a severe wasting syndrome associated with the disease itself, or from the side effects of chemotherapy. According to the National Cancer Institute, cachexia occurs in up to 80 percent of people with advanced cancer, and it’s thought to directly cause up to 30 percent of cancer deaths.Cachexia leads to the progressive loss of fat, skeletal muscle mass, and strength, severely affecting the patient’s quality of life and ability to tolerate treatments. Chemotherapy can exacerbate this condition by inducing fatigue and further muscle degradation, creating a cycle of decreased physical activity and worsening muscle atrophy.
Muscles Improve Health Span
Muscles regulate hormones, reduce inflammation, and manage blood sugar levels, as the previous article in this series explained. Exercise-induced muscle contractions also promote autophagy, the body’s way of clearing out damaged cells, which helps slow aging. A 2011 study published in Autophagy confirms that autophagy is vital for maintaining muscle health and function.As we age, however, the focus shifts from merely extending life to enhancing the quality of those years. Dr. Palakodeti emphasizes the crucial distinction between lifespan and health span, the latter being the period of life spent in good health, free from chronic diseases and disabilities. Prioritizing muscle health can significantly affect our health span, allowing us to enjoy a higher quality of life as we age.
“When I’m 80 years old, I want to live an independent life. I want to get out of a chair without help. I want to have hobbies I can do on my own. Maintaining muscle strength is key for this,” Dr. Palakodeti said.
Muscle strength is pivotal in ensuring a high quality of life as we age. Strong muscles support mobility, balance, and coordination, reducing the risk of falls and fractures.
“Investing in muscle health is investing in your independence and quality of life in your later years,” Dr. Palakodeti said.
Increasing Longevity Through Muscle
Maintaining muscle health is one of the factors within our control that can significantly protect against the declines associated with aging. Regular strength training and proper nutrition are essential strategies for building and preserving muscle, thereby enhancing overall quality of life and reducing the risk of chronic diseases, according to Dr. Palakodeti.By prioritizing muscle strength and mass today, we can enjoy longer, healthier, and more independent lives tomorrow.
Reposted from: theepochtimes.com/health/muscle-the-anti-aging-cure-few-discuss-5662811
Is Protein Supplementation Necessary for Building Muscle?
A meta-analysis of 49 studies in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) sought to prove whether protein supplementation boosts muscle mass and strength. The researchers found that protein supplementation significantly increased muscle size and strength, but only alongside resistance exercise training.Excessive Weightlifting Will Shorten Your Life
Other Studies Confirm Importance of Strength Training in Moderation
“Compared with undertaking no resistance training, undertaking any amount of resistance training reduced the risk of all-cause mortality by 15% ... cardiovascular disease mortality by 19% ... and cancer mortality by 14% ...
A dose-response meta-analysis of 4 studies suggested a nonlinear relationship between resistance training and the risk of all-cause mortality. A maximum risk reduction of 27% was observed at around 60 minutes per week of resistance training ... Mortality risk reductions diminished at higher volumes.”
Various Leisure-Time Physical Activities Associated With Widely Divergent Life Expectancies: The Copenhagen City Heart Study
O’Keefe and colleagues published a study in 2018 that looked at long-term granular data on physical activity and longevity. It turned out playing tennis added 9.5 years of extra life expectancy, badminton 6.2 and soccer 4.7, compared to 3.2 years for jogging and 1.5 years for health club activities like weight lifting and running on a treadmill.
At first, O’Keefe thought the analysis had somehow gone wrong. But then he realized it was the social aspects of the sports that conferred the added benefits.
Comments
Post a Comment