Muscle loss, known as sarcopenia or muscle atrophy, occurs when muscle fibers shrink and strength declines. This leads to reduced muscle mass and has many causes including aging, illnesses, poor nutrition, and inactivity.
Muscle loss can start as early as age 30 but becomes more significant from age 50 onwards. After 50, adults may lose up to 3-5% of their muscle mass per decade. This accelerates after age 60 leading to disability, frailty, and loss of independence if preventative steps are not taken.
There are several effective ways to prevent, reduce, or reverse age-related muscle loss:
By combining resistance exercise, sufficient protein intake, hormone management, and an active lifestyle, significant muscle loss can be avoided. Most adults can maintain healthy muscle mass well into old age with proper exercise and nutrition habits. Reaching out to a medical provider can also help diagnose any underlying causes of accelerated muscle loss. Maintaining lean muscle should be a lifelong priority for health, fitness and independence.