Sarcopenia: "From our 30s, we can lose up to about a half pound of muscle per year if we do not take action to sustain it."

Healthbeat: Use it or lose it

By Pam Stuppy

August 31, 2014 2:00 AM

"Although we cannot prevent aging, there are steps we can take to slow its progression. One of the key factors related to our quality of life, as well as our risk of many medical issues, is the amount of muscle we have. A common trend as we get older is a shift in body composition — less muscle mass and increased body fat. The good news is that, in many cases, there are steps we can take to counter this trend.

Sarcopenia is a term that refers to progressive muscle loss due to the aging process. It is estimated that about 30 percent of people over 60 and 50 percent of those over 80 years of age have some level of sarcopenia. From our 30s, we can lose up to about a half pound of muscle per year if we do not take action to sustain it."