From the Greek for "poverty of muscle"
Sarcopenia is the loss of lean muscle mass and muscle function associated with aging. Take a look at a New York Times Illustration of what muscle loss looks like. *Notice how fat accrues where muscle once was.
Many of us have witnessd a grandparent or family member grow older and more frail. We tend to think of this as just a part of old age.
Losing muscle and strength, however, need not be invevitable.
In fact, in their 1991 book Biomarkers: The 10 Determinants of Aging You Can Control, authors William J. Evans and Irwin Rosenberg introduced the term sarcopenia and discussed its possible preventatives. Since that time, research into the causes and effects of sarcopenia has intensified, and the condition has emerged as a critical issue for aging Americans.
What scientists know is this:
Lean muscle plays a crucial role in overall health.
Loss of muscle strength and function begins decades before "old age."
Much of this loss can be offset and even avoided by implementing diet and lifestyle changes.
We will take a closer look at each one of these findings, beginning with more on the role of lean muscle mass in overall health.
