31 Oct Sarcopenia – (Part 2) – Why do we get it?
Sarcopenia – Part 2 – Why do we get it?
It’s no surprise that the most common cause of sarcopenia is the aging process. In fact we start losing muscle somewhere in our 30’s. The rate of loss is dependent on many factors but most estimates suggest that we lose about 8% per decade. The trouble is that people with sarcopenia lose it even faster than this.
What are the risk factors for Sarcopenia?
- Aging
- Physical inactivity including lack of incidental exercise in a modern world
- Chronic disease – diabetes, cancer, kidney, liver and lung disease
- Hormone levels dropping
- Poor protein consumption
- Loss of nerve signals from brain to muscle
Do you recognize any of these risk factors in yourself?
Chances are you do and ….good news…. apart from the aging factor something can be done about all of these factors.
It seems counterintuitive that in a country so rich by world standards that research says up to 50% of Australians live with chronic disease including sarcopenia.
The numbers really suggest there is a large macro problem in our country and it’s starting younger and younger. The world is conspiring to stack the odds against you if you aren’t paying attention.
Digital marketing where we are constantly giving away our data teamed with well branded advertising and continual bombardment are making poor choices seem like the best way to go. It’s more fun, convenient, cheap and social to eat highly processed, high kilojoule and low nutrient food. Just hit the button and it turns up at your door. Too easy!
To prevent sarcopenia we need to make active informed choices that are going to require some effort to counter the digital narrative we are bombarded with.
Before we get around to dealing with sarcopenia we will discuss ways it is diagnosed.
Sarcopenia (Part 3); How is it diagnosed?
Sarcopenia and preventable muscle loss
