Sarcopaenia

Involuntary muscle wasting
(Sarcopaenia)

Muscle movement

Voluntary muscle movement is coordinated by motor pathways initiated by conscious control from the brain to the specific muscle groups to initiate a specific action.

Nerve pathways pass from the brain to control muscle movement.

Each muscle group is controlled by specific areas in the brain responsible for its control, and the specific nerves are conduits linking the brain and the muscle.

Activation of this pathway is responsible for conscious muscle movement.

Movement is made possible by the activation of muscle groups. There is an interaction between the nervous system and the muscle system.

Nervous system

Central nervous system: brain initiates the action
Peripheral nervous system: spinal cord & peripheral nerves is the conduit to relay information to the muscle groups

Skeletal function is dependent on the central nervous system. The peripheral nervous system is the relay system conducting the commands to initiate muscle contraction & movement

Muscle contraction is controlled by nerve stimulation. This stimulation is done voluntary from the brain or regulated by involuntary control via reflex nerve stimulation.

Skeletal muscle structure

Voluntary muscle movement is coordinated by motor pathways initiated by conscious control from the brain to the specific muscle groups to initiate a specific action.

Sarcomere: Basic muscle unit consists of Actin & Myosin. Structures called sarcoplasmic reticulum regulates release of Ca2 that activates muscle contraction thereby controlling muscle function.

Muscle unit exoskeleton provide structural support for the muscle units i.e. the Myosin & actin filaments.

Sarcopenia

Sarcopenia is characterised by the involuntary loss of muscle mass and function.
Sarcopenia plays a fundamental role in loss of mobility and the increase of illnesses especially in our elderly. Although it’s predominantly found in elderly it is not only seen in this age group, sarcopenia can be seen in people as young as 30.

Factors contributing to sarcopenia:

Age
Hormonal changes
Inactivity
Anorexia
Chronic illness

After the age of 30, you begin to lose as much as 3% to 5% of your muscle per decade. The loss of muscle is more severe after the age of 60.
Therefor, the optimization of protein intake , together with following a well balanced diet/ lifestyle and exercise becomes essential.

Management

Increasing your intake of animal proteins such as lean meat, chicken, fish , eggs , dairy products and plant proteins such as legumes, soy – edamame and tofu would be beneficial.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and one of the powerhouses responsible for muscles is leucine. Leucine is the amino acid that stimulates protein synthesis in the muscles. You will find amino acid in whey protein, so taking a protein supplement, that is whey protein based will be beneficial. In the elderly population there may be a diminished intake.

Contributing factors:

Loss of taste may dimmish appetite.
Mechanical issues such as chewing difficulties either because of poor fitting dentures or loosened teeth.
Poor mobility
Social circumstances with lack of access to nutritious meals.

In this case , together with adjusting consistency of diet, it might be easier to opt for a protein powder supplement or an oral nutritional supplement such as a protein shake.

Bare in mind that we always prefer natural-home made foods as it’s more bio available and easier to absorb, but sometimes it is difficult to meet requirements if there are many factors involved.

Build Muscle Mass with Strength Exercises

I have to stress that maintaining some form of exercise is very important, so please discuss this with a medical professional i.e doctor, specialist physician, physiotherapist or biokineticist.

Please consult a dietitian if you need more clarification on what your protein intake should be or for a more personalized meal plan to ensure you get enough protein for your body.

Meal plans are individualized and tailor-made according to your condition and adapted to suite your needs.