| Throughout the ages people have recognized that as | | | | yourself a healthy individual, slow, sneaky muscle |
| someone grows old their muscles waste away, they | | | | wasting can go unnoticed for years or even decades. |
| become frail and weak and their bones become | | | | The body hides this loss by padding the affected |
| brittle. This condition although a very old phenomenon | | | | areas with extra body fat. So maintaining your |
| has a relatively new name. Dr Irwin Rosenberg came | | | | weight on the bathroom scales does not mean |
| up with the name saropenia in 1988 for the loss of | | | | muscle isn't vanishing. |
| skeletal muscle mass in hopes of raising public | | | | The average rate of muscle loss is 300 grams per |
| awareness. | | | | year after age 30. After age 50 this loss continues to |
| In the coming years, sarcopenia is predicted to be | | | | increase with a mostly silent velocity subsequently |
| one of the biggest health problems the world faces. | | | | bleeding it's victim of up to 500 grams of muscle a |
| It is suddenly a very hot topic in aging research as it | | | | year. This can render a person eventually unable to |
| has a devastating effect on the quality of the last 10 | | | | perform simple everyday tasks and robs them of the |
| -15 years of a person's life. | | | | ability to take care of themselves. |
| Most seniors are aware of the dangers of the bone | | | | People worry about getting a life threatening disease |
| thief osteoporosis, a disabling disease that robs | | | | such as cancer or having a heart attack when they |
| people of their bone strength. Sarcopenia may not be | | | | get older. But a much bigger threat to health is not |
| as well known but is an equally crippling condition | | | | about falling victim to some dreaded disease, but |
| which leads to loss of muscle mass, strength, | | | | creeping frailty. This is what stops many older people |
| function and mobility. These two conditions usually go | | | | from remaining as strong, active and energetic as |
| together tending to track each other through the | | | | they would like - or from living independently. |
| years. If muscle is being lost, bone density is being | | | | The simple reality and the simple solution to this is a |
| lost as well. Strong muscles that are active muscles | | | | proper balanced exercise program that includes 60% |
| create tension on bones helping to prevent bone loss. | | | | strength training exercise and the rest cardiovascular |
| The old use it or lose it scenario. | | | | interval training prescribed by a Fitness Professional. |
| Often osteoporosis is labeled the villain when deadly | | | | Strength training is critical to preserving muscle. |
| falls and bone fractures in older people take place. | | | | Aerobic exercise, (jogging, swimming, cycling) while it |
| But the real villain is sarcopenia causing muscle | | | | strengthens the heart and lungs, isn't sufficient by |
| weakness - in particular leg muscle weakness which | | | | itself to hold back Sarcopenia. |
| can cause these falls. | | | | Once you begin rebuilding your strength you will also |
| If you are between 30 and 50 and even if your | | | | experience positive benefits in other areas of your |
| weight has remained stable through these years, you | | | | life. The stronger and fitter you become the more |
| have probably lost a significant amount of lean muscle | | | | active you will continue to be. You can then enjoy |
| tissue. Even if you participate in regular aerobic | | | | activities that you thought were gone forever. This |
| exercise (like jogging or swimming) and consider | | | | will increase your quality and enjoyment of life. |