Sarcopenia and loss of strength

with advice from Daniel Butler, CEP

Sarcopenia and loss of strength

Sarcopenia, the loss of skeletal muscle mass, is a part of what has been called “the slippery slope of aging.”

As people age, they often start to experience sarcopenia, as well as osteopenia and osteoporosis. Having weaker muscles and bones, plus the arthritis caused by years of wear and tear, can make movement more difficult and painful. The pain leads to less activity, which contributes to weaker bones and muscles, making it even more difficult to move. And so on.

Doctors and scientists are still not quite sure what causes sarcopenia, but they have linked a number of factors to its development, according to the Mayo Clinic: age-associated hormone changes, physical inactivity, inflammation, and diseases like cancer and diabetes. Because inactivity can lead to sarcopenia, doctors encourage older adults to exercise more to build muscle mass.

Exercise increases hormone levels, builds muscle mass, and contributes to weight loss.Daniel Butler, a personal trainer and clinical exercise specialist who works at the Take Charge Fitness Program, a wellness facility run by Clinton Physical Therapy Center (a Physiquality network member in Tennessee), is an expert in helping people avoid age-related physical problems. He points out that exercise not only builds body mass, but it also releases some of the hormones that start to dwindle as we age, like testosterone and growth hormones.

In addition, it can help older adults lose weight, reducing the pain associated with arthritis; having more weight on your frame can exponentially increase the pressure on your joints. So activity increases hormone levels, builds muscle mass, and contributes to weight loss. Win, win, win!

If you haven’t been very active and don’t know where to begin, says Daniel, go for a walk. Walking doesn’t take any special skills, and in many areas of the country can be done outside year-round. If it’s too cold outside right now, he adds, there are several places to walk indoors, like shopping malls, commercial gyms and community centers.

Daniel notes that water exercise is a great alternative. Just like walking, it can be done indoors or outside, and the resistance provided by the water is enough to strengthen bones and muscles.

If you’re hesitant about trying a new activity on your own, talk to your physical therapist — PTs can create a walking or exercise program to build muscle mass at a rate that you are comfortable with. Use our locator to find a Physiquality therapist in your neighborhood.

It's important for seniors to avoid frailty.The key to aging well is avoiding frailty, the last step in the “slippery slope.” Daniel recommends keeping an eye on your bone density through DEXA scans, and then taking steps, such as proper diet and exercise, to maintain strong and healthy bones. He also notes that regular balance screenings can detect loss of equilibrium. If loss of balance is present, there are exercise and physical therapy protocols that can help restore balance.

The last point Daniel makes is that it’s important for seniors to be social. Meeting up with friends outside the house, whether you’re going for a walk or seeing a movie together, gets you off the couch and moving — and the more you move, the better you’ll feel.

 

Daniel Butler, CEP Daniel Butler, CEP, has been a personal trainer for more than 10 years at the Take Charge Fitness Program, a wellness facility run by Clinton Physical Therapy Center, a Physiquality network member in Clinton, Tennessee. A former Marine, Daniel holds certifications from the American College of Sports Medicine as a clinical exercise specialist and the Arthritis Foundation as an aquatic instructor, and he completed his B.S. in health administration in 2012.

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Nutrition for stronger bones and muscles

For most of us, it can be a struggle to make good decisions when choosing what to eat. If simply focusing on “good vs. bad” calories isn’t enough to motivate you, consider eating foods that will help strengthen your muscles and bones.

When choosing what to eat for strength, nutritionist Alyssa Cellini advises focusing on minerals and alkalinity. “Keep in mind,” she adds, “that this doesn’t mean that you simply eat a large quantity of mineral-heavy foods. It’s all about balance: consuming the right minerals, in combinations that assist each-other, while reducing the redirection of these minerals to contrast an acidic environment elsewhere in the body.”

What foods are rich in minerals? Here are some of Alyssa’s recommendations:

  • Leafy greens are rich in magnesium.It’s not everyone’s favorite choice, she notes, but it’s hard to find a food source that provides as much as the sardine. Sardines are rich in fatty acids (anti-inflammatory), minerals (calcium and magnesium), and vitamins A, D and K, and they also serve as a protein source.
  • Leafy greens like kale, swiss chard and spinach are rich in magnesium.
  • Oily fish like salmon (or a quality fish oil) are rich in vitamin D.
  • Herbs (dried) like thyme, basil, and parsley are rich in vitamin K.

When preparing a meal, you could add dried herbs to your sardines and enjoy over a kale or spinach salad with fresh chard and watercress. You’re on your way to a mineral-packed meal! “To make sure you keep your GI tract alkaline, and to prevent the mineral-stealing effects of poor digestion,” Alyssa adds, “have warm lemon water after eating.”

Alyssa reminds readers that it is far easier to prevent conditions like low bone density and arthritis with diet and lifestyle than it is to correct them. “Our bodies are all about balance,” she says, “and whether you know it or not, minerals meant for bones are also used to buffer an acidic environment caused by food or drinks.”

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