Briefly about sarcopenia
Why do people's muscles weaken with age?
Ramis Ganiev, Hi-News
Almost all people, with rare exceptions, begin to weaken with age. According to statistics, in the United States, about 40% of women aged 55-64 years cannot lift even a 4.5-kilogram object at arm's length. And over time, people can't get up on their own and go to the next room at all. In scientific language, this phenomenon is called sarcopenia. In fact, it is a complex of processes that leads to the weakening of the muscles of the whole body. It is believed that sarcopenia is one of the five main risk factors for disease and death among people over 65 years of age. The problem is very serious, therefore, within the framework of this article, I propose to figure out exactly why people are getting weaker and whether it is possible to remain a strongman even at the age of 70. I will say in advance that yes, it is possible.
Loss of muscle mass
You've probably already guessed that the reason for muscle weakness in humans is insufficient physical activity. If you do not exercise, after the age of 30, every 10 years a person's muscle mass decreases by 3-10%. On average, by the age of 50, a person loses about 10% of muscle mass, which is why he becomes weak. The legs weaken the fastest, so it is sometimes very difficult for elderly people to walk.
In the photo below, you can see photos of a leg cut of two people that were taken using an MRI machine. The first person is 74 years old and he hardly played sports. The second person is 70 years old and has been actively engaged in triathlon throughout his life. You can notice that the first person has a lot of fat (shown in white) and little muscle (shown in black). The athlete has a minimum of fat and a maximum of muscle. And this is at the age of 70!
Causes of weakness of the elderly
The first reason why older people get weaker is hormonal changes. In men, testosterone levels decrease with age, which greatly affects muscle growth. And older women have a decrease in hormones produced by the ovaries. They also play a very important role in the growth of muscle tissue. Scientists have tried to restore the strength of the elderly with the help of medications that lead to the level of hormones necessary for muscle growth. During the experiment, it turned out that this method really restores muscle mass, but people do not get stronger from it. Physical activity is important.
The second reason for the physical weakness of the elderly is a decrease in protein intake. According to statistics, most people over the age of 50 receive 75% less than the daily allowance of protein. The weakening is due to the fact that the body needs amino acids, which are contained in proteins. Since there is little protein in the human diet, amino acids begin to be extracted from muscle tissues. As a result, a person weakens due to improper nutrition.
And thirdly, people get weaker due to lack of physical activity. With age, people stop going to work and stay in one place longer. Of course, there are exceptions, but in most cases people really move less.
Treatment of weakness of the elderly
To eliminate the consequences of sarcopenia, the first thing to do is to increase physical activity. In the course of research, scientists have found that even classes 2-3 times a week lead to good results. In addition to increasing muscle mass, workouts can normalize blood pressure and reduce pain. Of course, thanks to strong muscles, the risk of falling and fractures is reduced.
It is important to note that you can exercise only after consulting a doctor. The fact is that some elderly people may have diseases in which physical activity is strictly contraindicated.
It is also important to consume a sufficient amount of protein for good health in old age. It was noticed that the benefits of physical activity increased if a person simultaneously adhered to proper nutrition.
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