Age-related muscle loss: Can nutrition make a difference?

Our muscle strength peaks when we reach 30 years old. Over the age of 50, our muscles get weaker at a rate of around 15 per cent every ten years; increasing to 30 per cent per decade after the age of 70. Additionally, our skeletal muscle mass decreases by up to 50% between the ages of 20 to 90 (McLean & Kiel, 2015). A recent systematic review published in Age and Ageing, reported that age-related muscle loss, or sarcopenia, affects up to 1 in 20 of us over 60 years old, and up to one third of older people living in institutional settings like care homes. The high prevalence of sarcopenia is of particular concern given the global ageing population. Sarcopenia can lead to frailty, increased risk of falls and a loss of independence. All of which can substantially reduce an individual’s quality of life while increasing pressure on healthcare systems (Landi et al, 2012). Nursing home admissions go up as muscle function declines. The European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) published guidelines on the definition and diagnosis of age-related sarcopenia in 2010. This clear standard has allowed improved research into diagnosis and treatment of sarcopenia. The British Geriatric Society recommends all social and health care interactions with the elderly should include screening for frailty, including sarcopenia, using standardized guidelines and agreed measurements. The systematic review published in Age and Ageing, reports that nutrition and exercis...
Source: The Nutrition Society - Category: Nutrition Authors: Source Type: news