Sarcopenia

An age-related progressive loss of muscle mass and strength is called sarcopenia. The primary symptom of this disorder is muscle weakness. In general, sarcopenia is a type of muscle atrophy that is considered a natural process of aging. However, some experts believe that a lack of physical activity and an unhealthy diet contribute to this condition.

In other words, this condition is a gradual loss of muscle mass, function, and strength that is believed to occur due to aging. If you develop this disease, it may significantly impact your quality of life. It may also lead to a loss of independence. People with sarcopenia are at increased risk of frailty, falls, and fractures, which often lead to hospitalization, surgeries, and serious complications. The risk of complications is even higher in people with obesity (a high body mass index). In such cases, the condition is called sarcopenic obesity.

While studies are inconsistent because a lot of people do not get a diagnosis and treatment for this condition, the rates of the disease range from 5% to 13% in people over 60 years old and from 11% to 50% in people aged 80 and older.

Symptoms

While the most common symptom of this disorder is muscle weakness, people with sarcopenia may also experience other symptoms. Examples include:

Loss of stamina
Difficulty or inability to perform daily tasks
Walking and climbing stairs problems
Poor balance
An increased risk of falls
Reduced muscle size

If you experience any of the previous symptoms, do not hesitate to visit a doctor. Otherwise, it may lead to serious complications.

Causes

Usually, people develop this disease due to the natural aging process. In some cases, people may begin to lose muscle mass and strength in their 30s or 40s. This condition usually worsens between the ages of 65 and 80. While the rates fluctuate, most people lose about 8% of their muscle mass each decade. It does not mean people who do not suffer from sarcopenia do not lose muscle mass, but this condition makes this process faster.

Risk Factors

Some recent studies have identified some factors that could increase your risk of developing sarcopenia. These include:

Lack of physical activity
Chronic health conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), kidney disease, diabetes, cancer, HIV infection, and others
Rheumatoid arthritis
Insulin resistance
Malnutrition or inadequate protein intake
Reduced ability of the body to convert protein to energy
Hormonal imbalances
Decreased nerve cells that send signals from the brain to the muscles

This article does not contain all possible factors that may increase the risk of developing this disease. Consult with your doctor for more details.

What Are The Potential Complications of Sarcopenia?

People with this disorder may also experience some complications, especially if they do not get treatment. Examples include:

Functional decline
Increased risk of fractures and falls
Metabolic disorders (such as type 2 diabetes)
Postoperative complications (including infections, prolonged stay in the hospital, and others)
Cognitive impairment
Reduced quality of life
Death

This document does not contain a full list of complications. However, you can talk with your physician about ways to reduce the risk or prevent sarcopenia complications.

Is There a Way to Prevent Sarcopenia?

Usually, it is not possible to prevent this disorder, but you can take steps to slow down its progression. Check below some examples:

Exercise – It is very important to maintain a physically active lifestyle (including resistance training), especially if you are at increased risk of sarcopenia.
Dietary changes – You should make healthy food choices, which include high-quality proteins.
Routine physicals – Regularly inform your doctor about all changes in your health that you are noticing.

Diagnosis

First, doctors will perform a physical examination to check for irregularities linked to the disease. Thus, they may also ask some questions about the symptoms and medical history. Sometimes, you may complete a questionnaire based on your self-reported symptoms. It is known as SARC-F and stands for strength, assistance with walking, rising from a chair, climbing stairs, and falls.

Unfortunately, there is no test that can confirm sarcopenia. That’s why doctors usually perform multiple tests to rule out other conditions that cause similar symptoms and determine the severity of the disease. Check below some examples:

Handgrip test – This test is often used to determine the shortage in overall muscle strength.
Chair stand test – It is usually used to measure the leg muscle strength, especially the quadriceps. This test measures the number of times you can stand from a chair without using the arms.
Walking speed test – During this procedure, doctors will measure the time it takes for you to travel 4 meters at your usual walking pace.
Short physical performance battery (SPPB) – SPPB involves three timed tasks, including the chair stand test, standing balance test, and walking speed test.
Timed-up and go test (TUG) – This test is used to measure the time it takes to stand from a chair, walk 3 meters away, and then sit back down.
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA or DXA) – This is an imaging test used to measure the muscle and fat mass and bone density. It uses low-energy X-rays to make images.
Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) – This is a less expensive test compared to DEXA, which is also used to measure lean body mass.

Treatment

Usually, the primary treatment for people with sarcopenia is lifestyle changes. It may help treat and even reverse sarcopenia. Check below some examples:

Physical activity – Physicians usually recommend progressive resistance-based strength training because it helps improve strength and reverse muscle loss.
Healthy diet – Making healthy food choices in combination with physical activity increases the risk of reversing the disease.

Nowadays, researchers continue to study the possibility of using hormone supplements to improve muscle mass. However, these supplements are not approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration).

Frequently Asked Questions

How does sarcopenia affect my body?

Usually, a decrease in the number and size of the muscle fibers often causes muscle atrophy. While it is considered a natural process of aging, experts believe there are some factors that contribute to this disease. Additionally, older adults often have hormonal changes that affect muscle fibers. For example, reduced Testosterone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1).

What is the difference between sarcopenia and muscle atrophy?

Both conditions share common features of muscle loss. While sarcopenia causes a decrease in size and number of muscle fibers, muscle atrophy causes a reduction in the size of the fibers, but they remain the same number.

What is the life expectancy with sarcopenia?

In general, the median survival among people without sarcopenia was 16 years as compared with 10 years among people with this disease. Ask your healthcare professional if you have any other questions.