| Sarcopenia. Never heard of it? Well, you're not alone | | | | What is known is that incorporating exercise and |
| even though in 1999 the CDC listed sarcopenia as | | | | strength training into your regular routine will reduce |
| one of the top 5 health risks facing the U.S. | | | | the impact of sarcopenia and can actually help |
| population. So what exactly is this condition? The | | | | reverse muscle loss, even in the very elderly and frail. |
| name comes from a Greek word meaning "poverty | | | | Strength Building 101: |
| of flesh" and is the medical term for age related | | | | 1. Exercise all major muscle groups at least twice a |
| muscle loss. In essence it is the muscular equivalent | | | | week but never the same muscle group 2 days in a |
| of osteoporosis, which is loss of bone mass. | | | | row. |
| After about age 35 our muscles begin to shrink and | | | | 2. To avoid injury, start the first week with low |
| are replaced by fat at a rate of about 1/2 lb. or more | | | | weight, 1-2 lbs. or no weight, and gradually increase it. |
| a year. There are many implications in this loss of | | | | 3. Do 8-15 repetitions in a row, wait a minute and do |
| muscle mass. For one, it leads to reduced muscle | | | | 8-15 additional reps of the same exercise. |
| strength which can contribute to a decline in physical | | | | 4. Take 3 seconds to lift or push the weight, hold for |
| activity and lower metabolic rates. Physical inactivity is | | | | 1 second and take 3 seconds to lower the weight. |
| associated with bone loss and osteoporosis. It can | | | | 5. To benefit from strength exercises you must |
| also compromise your immune system. Muscle, or | | | | challenge your muscles. It should feel between hard |
| body protein, is not only essential for musculoskeletal | | | | and very hard to lift the weight. If you can't lift the |
| function but plays a critical role in immune function. | | | | weight 8 times it is too heavy; more than 15 time it |
| Nitrogen from muscle mass is used during illness to | | | | is too light. |
| provide amino acids which allow the immune system | | | | 6 Stretch after strength exercises when your |
| to effectively protect your body from illness and | | | | muscles are warm. |
| disease. | | | | 7. Keep breathing, out when you lift, in when you |
| Muscle loss has a direct impact on strength and can | | | | lower. Avoid jerking the weights or locking your |
| influence balance and bone density to a point that it | | | | joints. |
| contributes to falls which can have devastating | | | | 8. For equipment you can use hand/ankle weights, |
| effects. How often do you hear that someone fell, | | | | resistance bands, fitness center equipment or make |
| broke a large bone or their hip and never fully | | | | weights by filling milk jugs with sand or water or fill |
| recovered or who subsequently developed something | | | | socks with beans. Small cans make good light |
| like pneumonia and died. This end result could be | | | | weights. |
| from the cascading effect of sarcopenia. | | | | 9. Another option is to look into an aqua aerobics |
| Much research is being conducted to help answer | | | | class. They are fun and are easy on the joints. |
| questions such as: Is muscle loss related to changes | | | | 10. Remember, the hardest part of exercising is |
| in hormones or nutrition? Do factors other than a | | | | getting started. Start slow and just keep it up! Good |
| sedentary lifestyle contribute to muscle loss? How | | | | Luck. |
| does age itself cause changes in the muscles? | | | | |