Sarcopenia
With the study of sarcopenia being in its infancy, researchers are still searching for its causes. Potential factors that may contribute to the decline in muscle mass include age-related declines in anabolic steroid hormones such as testosterone, along with similar declines seen in the levels of human growth hormone. We are losing muscle mass, and that muscle mass is being replaced by fat cells. Typically an individual wonders why they develop a “pouch” gut, or why their thighs or buttocks are becoming larger. Other researchers contend that decreased muscle protein synthesis and the poor nutritional status seen in the elderly significantly contribute to the development of sarcopenia.
What causes Sarcopenia?
- The aging process
- Physical inactivity
- Reduction of hormone production in the human body as we age
- Decrease of protein synthesis ability within the human body as we age
- Female estrogen levels may also play a role in the development of sarcopenia during and after menopause. This topic has limited research, but it does appear that many females develop a “pouch” after menopause.
i. Testosterone - ii. Human growth hormone
Ongoing research into the cause of sarcopenia has also shown that intramuscular mitochondrial DNA damage caused by free radicals as well as a significant decrease in overall physical activity, or ‘muscle disuse,’ may also be significant contributors to the loss of muscle mass seen in the aged.6
Can muscle mass loss be prevented?
Unlike osteoporosis, multinational pharmaceutical companies have yet to pour millions of dollars into research searching for medications that can help treat sarcopenia. Therefore, for people who are getting “old” (i.e., anyone past 40), it makes sense to try and establish some common sense preventive measures that can be easily incorporated into the hectic, high-pressured lives most people live these days. Fortunately, there are now some studies showing that through a combination of targeted physical activity, the judicious use of safe, natural supplements and the possible utilization of hormonal supplementation, sarcopenia can be, to a significant degree, prevented.
