Beware of Muscle Loss in Elderly
Sarcopenia is a type of muscle loss condition related to aging. In our 40 years of age, our muscle mass tends to reduce 8% in every 10 years, followed by reduction of up to 24% after 70 years of age. This condition can lead to difficulties in performing daily tasks, affecting quality of life as well as causing disability in elderly.
Malaysia is currently approaching to becoming an ageing nation by 2030, in which the percentage of Malaysians over 65 years of age is estimated to increase by 15% on that year. To live a healthy life as you age, maintaining muscle mass is one of the many essentials.
5 Signs of Sarcopenia
Sarcopenia, if left unnoticed, can lead to various complications, ranging from feeling physically weak, unable to lift heavy objects, get tired easily, to increasing risked of falling, causing disability in elderly. If you have elderly at home, watch out for these signs:
1. Walking more slowly
2. Hard to grab objects
3. Moving difficulties
4. Falls easily
5. Unintentional weight loss
Preventing Sarcopenia: Pair Nutrition with Exercise
The rate of muscle loss varies from person to person. Sarcopenia is mainly caused by an unbalanced diet and lack of physical activity. But through proper nutrition and exercise, sarcopenia can be reversed and prevented.
1. Eat enough protein (and food)
Many elderly tend to eat a lot less as they age due to the ‘you should eat lesser as you age’ mindset, decreased appetite or practice restricted eating due to chronic diseases. This causes them to be protein and calorie-deficient, leading to decreased muscle mass.
Protein is one of the macronutrients crucial for maintaining and repairing muscles. The elderly are recommended to consume 1g of protein per kg body weight. Choose high-quality protein sources such as skim milk, egg, lean meat and beans to obtain essential amino acids, which is ideal to maintain muscle mass. In addition, eat three full meals a day and prioritize a balanced and nutritious diet to prevent muscle loss.
2. Resistance training
Make exercise a habit and do at least 2-3 times of weight training a week to maintain muscle mass and strengthen muscle. Get started by walking first, with gradual increase of distance on each session. Not to mention that nowadays, sarcopenia also affects the young due to sedentary lifestyle, so start young in preserving and strengthening muscle mass.
Reference:
Healthline
