Most seniors are aware of the dangers of osteoporosis, a
disease that leads to loss of bone density and
contributes to debilitating and sometimes deadly falls.
But an equally incapacitating condition, which leads to
loss of muscle mass and strength as we age, is not so
well known.
Sarcopenia, a term that translates to "vanishing flesh,"
or "flesh loss," is a new label for an old phenomenon,
according to a report done by the International
Longevity Center, an aging-issues think tank in New
York.
Irwin Rosenberg, a doctor at the Jean Mayer Human
Nutrition Center on Aging at Tufts University, came up
with the name in 1988 in hopes of raising public
awareness, but in spite of the Greek moniker,
sarcopenia's profile remained low.
Dr. George Kuchel, director of the Center on Aging at
the University of Connecticut Health Center in
Farmington, thinks that is about to change.
"Sarcopenia is suddenly a hot topic in aging and
geriatric research," Kuchel says. "In the coming years,
sarcopenia is going to be one of the biggest health
problems we face. It has a devastating effect on
mobility and mortality in older adults, and we
desperately want to know how to prevent it."
According to the Alliance for Aging Research, a
Washington non-profit organization that promotes
aging-related medical research, sarcopenia is
widespread, affecting roughly 45 percent of Americans 60
and older. Studies show that muscle loss begins in
middle age and proceeds at a rate of about 1 percent a
year. As individuals lose muscle mass, they lose
strength and their ability to perform everyday tasks
such as walking, climbing stairs or even getting up from
a chair.
In spite of osteoporosis's higher profile, several
recent studies show that while thinning bones make
seniors especially vulnerable to fractures, it's the
unsteadiness caused by muscle wasting in the legs that
leads to falls and the inability to live independently.
Older people with advanced sarcopenia frequently need
nursing home care.
"The condition has serious health consequences,
including $18.5 billion in related disability costs and
contribution to falls, obesity and Type 2 diabetes,"
Chhanda Dutta, chief of the clinical gerontology branch
at the National Institute on Aging in Bethesda, Md.,
said at a 2005 Capitol Hill briefing sponsored by the
Alliance for Aging Research.
While pharmaceutical companies are searching for a
treatment for the condition, Kuchel says, the best way
for older people to reduce frailty, become more mobile
and slow down muscle loss is through exercise and better
nutrition.
"Diet and exercise are the remedies we have right now,
and they seem to work," Kuchel says.
A study by the International Longevity Center and Canyon
Ranch Health Resorts showed that older people improved
strength, balance and walking speed by performing
strength-training exercises as little as twice a week.
Kuchel says research has shown nursing home patients can
benefit from a regular exercise routine.
It turns out Mom was right when she told you eating your
vegetables would help build strong muscles.
"Eat a well-balanced diet," Kuchel says. "Cut down on
fats, eat more fruits and vegetables and grains. If
you're overweight, lose weight. Adapt a regular,
low-impact exercise program. Remember, you can lose
muscle strength very quickly if you're sedentary, so
keep moving. It's one of the most important things you
can do."
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References:
worldhealth.net
Korky Vann
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