Sarcopenia and Age-Related Changes in Body Composition and Functional Capacity

Abstract

Advancing adult age is associated with profound changes in body composition. One of the most prominent of these changes is sarcopenia, defined as the age-related loss in skeletal muscle mass, which results in decreased strength and aerobic capacity and thus functional capacity. Sarcopenia is also closely linked to age-related losses in bone mineral, basal metabolic rate and increased body fat content. Through physical exercise and training, especially resistance training, it may be possible to prevent sarcopenia and the remarkable array of associated abnormalities, such as type II diabetes, coronary artery disease, hypertension, osteoporosis and obesity. Using an exercise program of sufficient frequency, intensity and duration, it is quite possible to increase muscle strength and endurance at any age. There is no pharmacological intervention that holds a greater promise of improving health and promoting independence in the elderly than does exercise.

Adverse effects of coexistence of sarcopenia and metabolic syndrome in Japanese women

“…[7][8][9][10] We confirmed that both sarcopenia and MetS are important factors that should be taking into account in governmental health promotion programs to regulate medical treatment costs.…”

“…[7][8][9][10] On the other hand, it is well known that metabolic syndrome (MetS), which generally increases with advancing age, is also associated with increased risk of vascular events, 11 ischemic stroke 12 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. 13 Although the causes of sarcopenia are not yet clearly understood, catabolic stimulation (subclinical inflammation and production of catabolic cytokines) of muscle has been investigated as a potential mechanism of sarcopenia.…”

Doenças pulmonares obstrutivas crônicas

“…Esta redução está associada à diminuição da força muscular estática e dinâmica e à atrofia das fibras musculares tipo II. A perda da massa e a da força muscular são conseqüência da própria idade (17) . Contudo, idosos com atividade física diária quando comparados com idosos sedentários apresentam diminuição da força e da massa muscular.…”

Greater than predicted decrease in resting energy expenditure with age: cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence

“…Since REE represents the largest fraction of total daily energy expenditure (EE) and since fat-free mass (FFM) is the main contributor to REE (Ravussin et al, 1986), it is not surprising to observe changes in EE in aging individuals (Poehlman and Horton, 1990;Vaughan et al, 1991;Poehlman, 1993;Roberts et al, 1995;Horber et al, 1997). Indeed, aging is accompanied by a decrease in FFM (Rudman 1985;Shimokata et al, 1989;Zamboni et al, 1992) more commonly known as sarcopenia (Evans and Campbell, 1993). However, changes in body composition cannot entirely explain the age-related decrease in REE (Poehlman et al, 1992;Piers et al, 1998;Hunter et al, 2001).…”