Controlling Age-Related Muscle Loss

Christine Foutch - Holistic Physician - For Your Health, Wellness - Educational Purposes

A condition linked with the increase in muscular-weakness or, frailty. Increasing one’s risks for the fall-related fractures; therefore, increases one’s risks for disability. Leading to higher mortality and disease rates within the older populations.

Our whole population is growing older; especially here within the United States. All, us older adults are able to live longer, healthier, more fit and functional lives than ever before. To expand on that statement, life expectancy grew within the twentieth century by approximately a believed 30-years. Today, those Born are expected to live, basically, up to 80 years of age. By the year 2030, the population over the age of 65 is expected to double; going from around 12.5% to approximately 20% give or take a bit.

Unfortunately, all species are affected by age, not just us humans… Everyone knows someone older than themselves. Honestly though, considering an individual as “Old” really does depend on one’s own individual age.

Women, are expected to live longer than that of men. Therefore, presumed to make up about 50% of the considered younger-old-populations. Furthermore, women make-up approximately 69% of the "oldest" of the Older-Populations.

Women, are also 3-times as likely as the male populations to become widowed. With this believed percentages for us women coming close to about 78% compared to that of the Men at approximately 35%.

For all of us, aging influences our activities, which influences our perception of “Self” therefore our own perceived quality of life. Furthermore, aging is not fully understood; going forth to cause structural as well as functional changes in one’s Skeletal-Muscle. Possibly starting as early as the mid-third to early fourth-decade. Our total body composition changes with age. Our fat-mass increases, notably the Visceral-Fat; which is referring to the body fat that is stored within the Abdominal-Cavity. Therefore, stored around the internal organs. While the lean-functional-muscle-mass decreases. This goes forth lowering our complete caloric expenditure.

Sarcopenia Age-related loss of muscle strength, function, and the contractile-fibers, therefore, our muscle mass.

Obviously, all of this significantly changes the older-adults quality of life. Decreasing one’s mobility, increasing the risks of falls, altering our perceived independence and self-assurance. Furthermore, our metabolic-rate lowers, as there is the loss in the metabolically active tissues. All of which will significantly accelerate with the decrease in one’s physical activity.

By the fourth-decade of one’s life, the Sarcopenia evidence is detectable. This loss of muscle mass is very noteworthy, as needless to say, muscle is firmly attached to one’s measure of strength and endurance.

Fortunately, there are many lifestyle practices that we can initiate to slow this progression; the allowance we all need to remain functionally fit, throughout our many years of life. Preserving our muscle tissue and the health thereof will ensure as we all advance in age that we are able to sustain our self-sufficiency.

The acknowledgment of this age-related muscle loss and how the aging process affects our minds and bodies alike is understandably important in the preparation for our older years. The sedentary-lifestyle, improper nutrition or nutrient malnourishment, such as the lowered protein intake; are just some of the factors that one can focus on and initiate the necessary needed change for our future independent strategies.

Structured exercise or just increasing our physical activity is generally one of the most important steps we can launch improving our future health. Exercise and the conscious awareness of our nutritional intake do have the ability to make that needed positive impact on the aging process; for men and women alike.

For some additional clarity, Sarcopenia is characterized by the atrophy ~ the wasting away of the muscle Type II cellular contractile muscle fibers, the larger more powerful contractile fibers.

Nutritional Intake
The nutrients within our foods are needed by the body. For the maintenance, repair, and the growth of our structures. Whether this is for maturity, or as we all age. Furthermore these nutrients are needed for the Muscular-Adaptations that are brought about from our physical activities and therefore our strength training practices.

Strategic Personal Training
Can and will employ the strategies needed for the personal gains in your muscle growth and therefore strength.

Skeletal Muscle
Responds, adapting to the repeated-stimuli brought about by structured exercise routines. Importantly here, bringing in the needed positive impact on all of our bodily aging processes.