4. Severe Stress
Chronic stress is bad for every function of your body, including the metabolism of proteins into muscle. Psychological stress causes the release of hormones designed to help your body cope (fight, flight, freeze). Unmanaged stress causes hormone overload that stimulates an immune response, causing inflammation and impeding a host of processes. The result is a variety of symptoms, including muscle cell apoptosis. In addition, stress activates cytokines, which we’ve mentioned above as pro-inflammatory. (15)
Bodily stress caused by other illness and disease works the same way. People who suffer from chronic diseases are known to experience sarcopenia as well. Liver disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer are among those associated with significant loss of muscle and muscle strength. (16, 17) A severely taxed immune system focuses the body on fixing what’s wrong and pulls whatever it needs from wherever it can toward that end—to the exclusion of lesser functions.
Exercise That Can Reverse Sarcopenia
So now that we know the primary factors that cause sarcopenia, we can take steps to prevent it. Physical activity is crucial; following are three types of exercise known to help retain muscle mass and strength.
1. Resistance Training
Also known as strength training and weight-bearing exercise, resistance training (RT) begun as late as middle age goes a very long way in preventing muscle and bone density loss later in life. In fact, RT is so effective that it can reverse sarcopenia in the elderly by redeveloping muscle mass. (18)
Meta-analyses of the effects of RT on muscle take into account sex and genetic factors that can influence the effectiveness of this type of exercise. They all conclude, however, that muscle mass, strength, and quality are significantly improved with RT for both sexes at every age. (19)
It’s important to keep in mind that sarcopenia results in not only the loss of muscle mass but the motor functions that they perform:
“The less active a person’s lifestyle, the earlier age-related changes will manifest. A reduction in motor capacity and visual and vestibular skills [balance and eye movement] are foremost among these changes. In addition to a reduction in muscle fibers (type 1 and especially type 2 fibers, especially in the lower extremity), the responsibility for this lies with neuronal factors (a reduction in spinal motoneurons or spinal inhibitions) and impairments to mechanical muscle function (such as for example reduced maximum frequency or reduced elasticity)…an increase in muscle activity and frequency during isometric and dynamic muscle work have been observed. The extent of adaptation in elderly people is comparable to that in younger people. Sarcopenic muscle fibers thus do not per se have reduced mechanical muscle function but have a confirmed potential for adapting to strength (resistance) training.” (20)
Progressive RT can prevent, restore, and increase muscle mass and strength “even in the oldest old”. It promotes the loss of fat that so often occurs with aging, reduces blood pressure, and improves glucose tolerance—a whole health package. (21)
Regardless of your age, it’s a good idea to consult a healthcare professional if starting new exercise but even more important if you’re over forty.