What is Sarcopenia?

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Sarcopenia is a degenerative disease frequently associated with the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. Risk of sarcopenia increases at a rate of 3-8% per decade after age 30 and continues to accelerate after the fifth decade of life (1, 616; 2, 1). Contributing factors of muscle degeneration include: sedentary lifestyle, malnutrition, reduced protein turnover rate, lowered insulin response, inflammatory changes, and decreased anabolic hormone production (3, 1073). Dietary protein is essential in order to build muscle and avoid loss of lean body mass (4, 686). Evidence indicates increased protein intake above the RDA of 0.8 g/kg per day in older adults will increase the anabolic response of muscle (3, 1073).
High dietary protein intake is inversely associated with loss of lean body mass. Surveys indicate 22-38% of men and 32-41% of females aged 50 years and older consume less than the dietary recommendation of 0.8 g/kg/day of protein (5, 1556). Females from a population group of 1,077 aged 75±3, had better skeletal health and bone mass density when consuming more than 87 grams of protein per day compared to the placebo group (3, 1075). Adequate protein intake of 1.1 g/kg of body weight was positively associated with preservation of lean mass in older adults aged 70-79 years (5, 1556). Subjects lost 40% less total body and lean mass when consuming 1.1 g/kg/day compared to those consuming 0.7g/kg/day (5, 1557). Elderly women and men followed for a duration of four years, who consumed a high protein intake of 84-152 grams a day, were associated with protection against femoral and spinal bone loss compared to individuals who consumed levels at the lowest quartile of protein between 17-51 grams per day (1, 619). Intake above...

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...P., Degens, H., El Hajj Fuleihan, G., et al. (2013). Impact of nutrition on muscle mass, strength, and performance in older adults. Osteoporosis international, 24 (5), 1555-1566. doi: 10.1007/s00198-012-2236-y.

6. Shahar, S., Kamaruddin, N. S., Badrasawi, M., Sakian, N. I., Abd Manaf, Z., et al. (2013). Effectiveness of exercise and protein supplementation intervention on body compostion, functional fitness, and oxidative stress among elderly Malays with sarcopenia. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 8, 1365-1375. doi:10.2147/CIA.S46826.

7. Alemán-Mateo, H., Macías, L., Esparza-Romero, J., Astiazaran-García, H., Blancas, A. L. (2012). Physiological effects beyond the significant gain in muscle mass in sarcopenic elderly men: evidence from a randomized clinical trial using a protein-rich food. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 7, 225-234. doi: 10.2147/CIA.S32356.

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