Sarcopenia: All About Age-Related Muscle Loss

POSTED ON MARCH 2, 2020 BY TORONTO FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE CENTRE

It’s safe to say that health care practitioners notice this one thing among patients: “What I hear from all of my clients is the desire to age well,” reveals Heather Claus, our clinic’s certified strength coach. Sure, there’s talk about fat loss and muscle gain; but graceful aging seems to be the main underlying goal of patients.

But what does graceful aging mean?

When it comes to the thought of growing old, most people picture a frail, elderly man or woman. But today’s aging population is changing that image by consulting with personal trainers or strength coaches. One of the main reasons for doing this is to help eliminate sarcopenia. 

In simple terms, Sarcopenia is when you lose muscle mass due to aging. “Although primarily a disease of the elderly, its development may be associated with conditions that are not exclusively seen in older persons, like disuse, malnutrition and cachexia,” explains the journal Clinical Cases in Mineral and Bone Metabolism.

WebMD explains that sarcopenia “typically happens faster around age 75. But it may also speed up as early as 65 or as late as 80.” Sarcopenia is concerning because muscle weakness can hinder your daily living. With that, it’s possible for sarcopenia to be the culprit behind tumbles and fractures in older adults. Strength training, however, may help encourage the muscle cells to develop and repair on their own. By attending regular strength coach consultations, you may be helping to prevent or alleviate the discomforts of sarcopenia.

At this Toronto clinic, strength coach Heather Claus invites new and existing patients to learn about sarcopenia and how to naturally treat and prevent age-related muscle loss.  Call (416) 968-6961 or click here to book your appointment.

 

References

Santilli V, Bernetti A, Mangone M, Paoloni M. Clinical definition of sarcopenia. Clin Cases Miner Bone Metab. 2014;11(3):177–180.

Sarcopenia with Aging” WebMD, reviewed by Carol DerSarkissian on July 30, 2018, viewed on February 24, 2020.

 

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