Is muscle loss inevitable as we grow older?

It is important to incorporate strength-training into our exercise routine in order to reduce the risk of osteopenia. — dpa

I recently heard that there is a condition that involves losing my muscle mass as I age. I am ageing, and I am scared that this will happen to me. Is there such a thing?

Yes. It is called sarcopenia.

It is a gradual loss of your muscle mass, function and strength.

It is fairly common among elderly people and is believed to be caused by ageing.

Many people think that it is a normal process of ageing and that there is nothing they can do about it, but actually, there is.

Does it happen to every single elderly person?

No. It affects around 5% to 13% of people above the age of 60.

For those aged 80 years and above, four out of five will experience sarcopenia.

This condition can be a real downer in the quality of your life and for the people who have to take care of you.

Sarcopenia can greatly debilitate your life, your ability to walk and your ability to care for yourself, as well as increase your risk of falls and getting fractures.

This can lead to a loss of the quality of life you can have in your old age, plus a higher risk of death.

Even if you are not in your 60s now, you may have an elderly parent to care for, which could affect your own quality of life.

Why does it happen to some people and not others?

As we age, we lose muscle mass. It begins in your 30s or 40s, and gradually accelerates.

It is worse after your 60s.

It is estimated that we can lose as much as 8% of muscle mass for every decade that we live.

It happens more in people who:

• Are inactive or couch potatoes.
• Are obese or have insulin resistance, e.g. if you have a high body mass index (BMI), you are more at risk for a condition known as sarcopenic obesity.
• Have chronic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, kidney disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Have reduced hormones.
• Do not eat enough protein.
• Cannot convert protein to energy.
• Have a loss of the nerve cells that connect the brain to the muscles.

The bodies of people who are at risk for sarcopenia don’t produce enough protein for their muscles to grow and be replenished.

Coupled with changes in hormone levels, your muscles then begin to lose their mass.

Will I be paralysed if I have sarcopenia?

It is more common to get muscle weakness.

You may find that you cannot climb the stairs as easily as you used to.

You can’t get up easily from a squatting position.

You can’t lift heavy weights the way you used to, such as if you try to carry a grocery bag.

You might not even be able to twist open the lid of a jar.

Yoga poses may be difficult for you and you can’t do push-ups easily.

You have to walk slowly, and you may get tired if you walk longer.

You can trip and fall easily, thus increasing your risk of sustaining fractures and injuries.

Many old people are at risk of hip fractures, which can land them in hospital for months at a time, and they may later need to be cared for in nursing homes.

You may also look less bulky than when you were younger. This is due to muscle wasting.

Paralysis may be an ultimate complication of sarcopenia, but only if it is fall- and fracture-related.

It is not directly caused by sarcopenia.

Is there any blood test to know if I have sarcopenia?

No, but there are plenty of other tests to help determine if you have this condition.

There is a questionnaire called SARC-F, which stands for strength (S), assistance with walking (A), rising from a chair (R), climbing stairs (C) and falls (F).

If you score more than four on this test, you may need to undergo further investigation.

Some muscle strength tests include:

• Hand grip test

  This one is a simple and pretty accurate way to gauge strength in all your muscles.

  If you do not have a decent handgrip, then it is likely that the rest of your muscles have lost strength.

• Chair stand test

  This one tests your leg muscle strength.

  Basically, the aim is to find out how many times you can stand and sit from a chair without using your arms in 30 seconds.

• Walking speed test

  This aims to find out how long it takes you to walk four metres.

There are also combinations of these tests available.

Aside from these tests, imaging can be done to measure your muscle mass and bone density.

How do I prevent sarcopenia?

You can’t completely prevent it, but you can lower the risk.

You can eat more protein – at least 30 grammes in each meal.

Even if you are vegetarian, you can incorporate proteins like tofu into each of your meals.

You need to exercise regularly.

But you must include weight-lifting and resistance training at least twice a week in your routine.

Don’t stick to cardio alone.

You should definitely try to lose weight if you are obese or overweight.

This is important not just for sarcopenia, but also for the prevention or risk reduction of many other diseases.

Dr YLM graduated as a medical doctor, and has been writing for many years on various subjects such as medicine, health, computers and entertainment. For further information, email [e-mail]. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only, and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.