Chances are you may have heard but not familiar with sarcopenia. If you are familiar with the term, you may think that this condition is linked with aging and only happens as people reach over 60 years old. Sarcopenia is commonly explained as age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. However, by viewing different studies and applying to many of my clients, my understanding of sarcopenia is different.
Definition of Sarcopenia
Actual definition of Sarcopenia is death of the muscle. Reason why we see sarcopenia in elder population more than younger is because of physical activity level or demand of physical labor may become less as we age. However, recently though, younger population has less demand of physical labor due to spending more time in front of computer, phone, game, TV and so on and because of that process of sarcopenia can start earlier than what common definition suggests.
What happens with muscles with saropenia is that the muscles start to get smaller and weaker. Then start creating white fatty marble like you may see in wagyu beef. This white marbled fat is inflammatory in nature and can lead to other health issues, including heart diseas, stroke, cancer, dementia, and autoimmune diseases.
Reversing and Preventing Saropenia
Although we cannot stop our chronological aging, however, we can definitely change and reverse our physiological aging. Many studies have shown that when elder population perform strength training for 2-3 times per week for 45 minutes per session can increase the size and strength of muscle and can minimize or even eliminate white marbled fat in about 12 weeks. One studies with 90 year old males have found that with same workout setup as above has reversed the physiological aging by 40 years!
Now imagine what can happen if we start the muscle and strength building process earlier? Not only we can slow down the physiological aging but being able to be active for longer period of time. That means you can still travel and work on the garden even at age 90 or even older. It is not very uncommon to see centennial athletes nowadays.
Types of Exercise to Reverse Aging
Main exercises that you should be working on is breaking down into 5 movements. Those are squat, lift, push, pull and bracing. The workout you are doing should be working on improving those 5 movements.
Squat can be actual squat, lunges, step ups. Lift can be deadlift where using hinge movement to lift object. Push can be push up, bench press, shoulder press, any exercises that move the object away from you. Pull is lat pulldown, dumbbell rows, inverted rows, any exercises that pulls object towards you. Lastly, the bracing is using the core muscles including abdomen, glutes, quads, lats to support the spine like plank, sled push, and farmer's carry.
As much as physical activity and exercises are important to prevent and reverse sarcopenia, you cannot ignore recovery. Recovery includes proper sleeping and eating habits so your body has both building blocks an time to properly recover so the body become stronger and faster metabolism.
More I train elder population, more they show me that age is just a number. What matter the most is physiological aging and this can be controlled based on how you treat the body.
Kota Shimada
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