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Sarcopenia

Sarcopenia is a defined as age related muscle loss. Lack of exercise is a significant risk factor in developing this condition. Studies have shown that even people in their nineties have gained muscle mass, regained or improved their balance also regaining independence after just eight weeks of resistance training.  The photo compares a cross section of thigh of a 20 year old woman (on the top) to the thigh of a 64 year old woman (on the bottom) to demonstrate the muscle loss typical of sedentary aging. With this comes overall body weakness, poor balance, and a higher risk of falls leading to major bone fractures. Nothing is more effective at preventing and reversing this condition like strength training.  In fact, we know that physically active elders can build and rebuild muscle mass. Even frail elderly can improve function by a remarkably 200 percent on a short focused exercise regimen. No single feature of aging can more dramatically affect basal metabolism, insulin sensitivity, calorie intake, appetite, breathing, ambulation, mobility than muscle mass.