What Is Sarcopenia? How To Reverse Muscle Loss and Reboot Your Metabolism After 50
See who's most at risk and the symptoms that can clue you into sarcopenia
You’ve noticed it happening: That pickle jar feels impossible to open, climbing stairs leaves you winded and your energy just isn’t what it used to be. If you’re feeling weaker lately, it could be because we lose three to five percent of our muscle mass per decade beginning as early as our 30s. And for up to 20 percent of us, this loss of muscle and strength leads to a condition called sarcopenia that can make everyday tasks challenging, increase the risk of falls and even stall our metabolism. But what is sarcopenia exactly? Here we explain what triggers the condition and share simple, science-backed tricks to help you stay strong.
What is sarcopenia?
Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength, a condition that becomes more common with age. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it affects up to 13 percent of people ages 60 and up to 50 percent of adults over 80. This muscle weakness happens when our bodies slow production of proteins and hormones like testosterone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) needed for healthy muscle growth.
Losing muscle mass can make it harder to take the stairs, open that stubborn jar of pickles, keep your stamina up on busy days and stay balanced on slick or uneven surfaces. And when lean, calorie-torching muscle mass decreases, it makes losing weight harder. People who are obese or inactive, or those who have conditions like COPD, diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis face a higher risk. The good news: You can prevent—and even reverse—sarcopenia just by making a few simple tweaks to your daily activities.
Woman's World Answers
9 ways to help reverse sarcopenia
Whether you’re trying to stave off muscle loss before it starts or help build back your strength, these smart tips are study-proven to make a difference.
‘Curl’ a can of soup
Scientists have long known lifting weights is one of the best ways to help prevent sarcopenia. But “weight training” doesn’t need to be grueling. Australian research found people who did a single 3-second bicep curl daily experienced a 10 percent increase in that muscle’s strength within four weeks. Resistance exercises create “microtears” in the muscle fibers that stimulate muscle growth and strength, helping them grow stronger with each repetition.
Also smart: squeezing a tennis ball. Decreased hand grip strength is an early symptom of sarcopenia—one that can turn simple activities like opening a jar or turning a doorknob into a hassle. To strengthen your grip, hold a tennis ball in your palm and slowly squeeze. Hold for 5 seconds, then release.
Pack protein into your diet
Protein feeds muscles and keeps them strong, yet many of us fall short of the 90 to 120 grams daily that Stanford University experts recommend after age 50. One fix: Enjoy a tasty snack that pairs protein with a vitamin C-rich fruit (think: peanut butter and apples or cottage cheese and strawberries). Vitamin C in the fruit boosts your body’s ability to absorb the protein from your snack. Indeed, a study in Nutrients enjoying lots of fruit in your diet may lower the risk of sarcopenia 40 percent.
Tip: Consider adding more plant-based protein to your diet, such as sipping a plant-based smoothie for breakfast or grabbing a plant-based snack while on the go like Day Out Portable Protein Balls. A study in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging found that plant protein has an edge over animal protein at lowering the risk of sarcopenia in adults 65 or older. It feeds your muscles while lowering inflammation, a hidden cause of muscle weakening. (Learn more about how protein can help reverse sarcopenia and boost weight loss here.)
Get more vitamin D
On overcast days, it can be harder for your body to produce enough vitamin D to keep muscles strong. The good news: A 10-cent daily dose of D3 may help if your body is experiencing a shortfall. According to research in Nutrients, people over 65 who did nothing other than boost the “sunshine vitamin” to healthy levels improved muscle strength and function, lowering their risk of sarcopenia. The National Institutes of Health recommends a daily allowance of 600 IU of vitamin D for those 51 to 70 and 800 IU for those over 70 to fend off deficiencies.
Go for a walk
Strolling around the block helps reverse muscle loss, according to Japanese researchers. They found that adults over 65 who increased their daily step count by just 10 percent (up to about 5,000 steps a day) got significantly stronger in just six months—and people who had low muscle mass to begin with made the biggest gains.
Consider creatine
Creatine is a compound made from three amino acids that’s stored in your muscles, and it’s a popular supplement for those looking to reverse sarcopenia. A review in the journal Frontiers in Psychology suggests that taking a small dose (3 to 5 grams) of creatine daily along with regular strength training can reverse muscle loss linked to sarcopenia. Bonus: Creatine supports weight loss too.
Prioritize sleep
Keeping your sleep within a sweet spot of 6 to 8 hours per night may be one of the simplest ways to maintain muscle strength. A review published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association found that when people who got too little sleep, it increased their risk of sarcopenia by 20 percent. Surprisingly, oversleeping posed an even greater risk, increasing the likelihood by 50 percent. The researchers suspect that getting too much or too little sleep may lead to low-grade inflammation that accelerates muscle breakdown.
Try rucking
Wearing a weighted vest or a backpack containing a couple books (a trendy technique called rucking) while puttering around the house keeps sarcopenia at bay. A study in Physical Activity and Health found 100 percent of older adults who wore a weighted vest for 30 minutes three times a week saw significant improvements in muscle strength in 12 weeks.
And a separate study in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that when people over 65 strapped on just 7 extra pounds of weight, they improved muscle strength and increased calorie burn significantly. Weight creates resistance, which engages your muscles to keep them strong. Keep the weight to under 10 percent of your body weight (15 pounds for a 150-pound woman).
Sip orange juice
OJ is typically fortified with vitamins and minerals. In fact, 1 cup of fortified orange juice contains 27 percent of your recommended daily calcium, a mineral that strengthens muscles by helping them contract. It also contains over 90 percent of your daily vitamin C, which British researchers say may help people over 50 retain muscle mass later in life. Vitamin C protects against harmful free radicals that damage muscle tissue, contributing to sarcopenia.
Supplement with ashwagandha
Beloved for its ability to help the body handle stress, the herb ashwagandha may also keep muscles healthy. Research in the Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology found that supplementing with ashwagandha daily led to bigger, stronger muscles in as little as eight weeks. Ashwagandha lowers the stress hormone cortisol, which inhibits muscle growth in too-high amounts. Aim for about 250 to 500 mg daily.
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