When we think about muscles, we often think about bodybuilders and avid gym bros. But muscles for the average person matter a lot as well, especially if you’re 50 years old and above.
Muscles are needed for the most basic of everyday tasks. Like getting up from a chair, climbing the stairs, or carrying your groceries home from the market – activities that you may take for granted in your early years.
But as you age, that independence can be slowly eroded by sarcopenia, otherwise known as age-related muscle loss. Your body’s ability to build and repair muscle becomes less efficient due to changes in “muscle protein synthesis, declining levels of hormones that support muscle growth, and reduced physical activity”, said Clinical Associate Professor Frederick Koh, Sengkang General Hospital’s Deputy Research Director.
As a result, your “skeletal muscles gradually reduce in size and mass as the muscle fibres shrink and are lost over time”, he said. “Additionally, fat may accumulate within and around the muscles, resulting in poorer muscle quality.”
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