Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle mass, an event that begins at age 30 and is common after age 50, a period in which there is a greater reduction in the quantity and size of the fibers that form the muscles, mainly due to the reduction of hormones such as estrogen and testosterone.
The main symptoms of this situation include loss of strength, balance and physical performance to perform activities, such as walking, climbing stairs or getting out of bed.
To recover your muscles, it is important to avoid physical inactivity and to practice physical exercises, with strength and aerobic training, in addition to an adequate diet, rich in proteins and nutrients, preferably present in lean meats, dairy products and vegetables, such as soy, lentils and quinoa.
How to prevent muscle loss
Atrophy and destruction of muscle cells is a natural process, which happens in all people over 30 years of age who are sedentary, and if nothing is done to avoid it, the tendency is to become a frail elderly person, with difficulties for daily tasks and more prone to pain in the body.
To avoid sarcopenia, it is very important to adopt habits, such as:
- Practice physical activities, both muscle strength and endurance, such as weight training and pilates, for example, and aerobic, with walking and running, to improve blood circulation and body performance. Check out what are the best exercises to practice in old age. Have a diet rich in protein, present in meat, eggs and milk products, to stimulate muscle growth, in addition to carbohydrates, fats and calories to give energy, in the correct amounts, preferably guided by a nutritionist. Find out what are the main protein-rich foods to implement the diet. Avoid smoking, as cigarettes, in addition to altering appetite, compromise blood circulation and intoxicate body cells; Drink about 2 liters of water per day, keeping hydrated to improve circulation, intestinal rhythm, taste and cell health; Avoid excessive alcoholic beverages, as this habit, in addition to contributing to dehydration, impairs the functioning of important organs of the body, such as the liver, brain and heart.
It is also very important to keep up with the general practitioner or geriatrician, so that routine examinations and check ups are done to identify and treat possible diseases that can worsen the loss of lean mass, such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, stomach, intestinal and related to immunity, for example.
Symptoms of sarcopenia
The lack of lean mass causes numerous difficulties in the life of the elderly, which arise little by little, such as imbalance, difficulty walking and activities such as shopping, tidying up the house, or even basic activities such as bathing and getting out of bed.
As the muscle mass atrophies, the elderly have a higher risk of falls, and begin to show the need to walk with the support of someone, a cane or a wheelchair, in addition to having more pain in the body, caused not only by wear of bones and joints, but also due to the lack of muscles to help stabilize the body's joints.
How to Recover Muscle Loss
For the person who already has loss of muscle mass, it is important that it is recovered soon, because the greater the loss, the greater the difficulty of regeneration and the worse the symptoms.
So, to recover the muscles, it is very important that the person follows a treatment aimed at a gain of lean mass, guided by the geriatrician, together with other professionals such as nutritionist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist and physical educator, with:
- Strength training with physical activity and physiotherapy; Adaptation of the house to make day-to-day and leisure activities easier; Adjustment of remedies that may worsen appetite or contribute to muscle loss; Treatment and control of diseases that can impair the physical performance of the elderly, such as diabetes, intestinal changes or appetite; Protein-rich diet. In addition, if you are a frail elderly person, it is also important to have a diet rich in calories, guided by a nutritionist. Check out some protein-rich snacks to increase muscle mass; Medicines and hormones, such as hormone replacement therapy or testosterone, are only indicated in some necessary cases, under medical guidance.
The use of protein supplements may be necessary when food is not enough to replace the amount of protein and calories needed by the elderly, which usually happens in cases of poor appetite, difficulty swallowing, pasty food or changes in absorption by the stomach or intestine.
Some of the most recommended supplements for the elderly are sold in pharmacies or supermarkets, such as Ensure, Nutren and Nutridrink, for example, which have versions with flavors or without flavor, to take as a snack or mixed in drinks and food.
