Muscle Degeneration and Recovery

The Muscle Degeneration and Recovery

What is muscle degeneration?

Muscle degeneration or sarcopenia (which means lack of flesh) is the wasting or thinning of the muscle mass. It starts when we are in our 30s, but muscle loss is prominent when we reach our 50s. After middle-age adults lose 3-5% of their muscle strength every year.

 It can be due to the disuse of your muscles or neurogenic conditions (controlled by the nervous system). It can also happen when you are bedridden or unable to move due to a medical condition.

 Even if you are active, you can still lose muscle mass. It is treatable if we switch to regular exercise and proper protein consumption, but it takes longer to regain the lost muscles.

Symptoms of muscle wasting

The main symptoms can be

1.     Decrease in muscle mass, numbness and weakness in limbs.

2.     Having difficulty in balancing and tingling in arms and leg muscles.

3.     Reduced muscle strength and stamina.

4.     Impaired ability to perform physical activities.

5.     Loss of muscle coordination, facial weakness, vision problem and fatigue.

6.     Elderly people with severe conditions find difficulty in speaking and swallowing food.

Muscle loss in elderly

Loss of muscle in the elderly may lead to a decrease in body strength, and mobility and an increased risk of falls and injuries. So, it is critical to preserve and build body muscles, especially in seniors.

Sitting and lying down for long periods of time can cause muscle fibers to break down leading to leg muscles getting weak over a long period of time. An easy way to avoid prolonged sitting hours is to take a walk or climb the stairs.

 A decline in walking ability can be seen with progress in muscle degeneration. But strength training like pumping iron is the secret to muscle growth in the elderly.

Although aging can also bring muscle degeneration or sarcopenia, muscle loss can be reversed or decreased by a healthy diet and reasonable exercise which increases lifespan as well as improve quality of life.

Food for muscle recovery

Generally, high protein, low fat and low carbohydrate meal are recommended for muscle repair and regeneration. Some preferred protein sources are lean meat such as chicken and fish, eggs and vegetable proteins like beans, nuts, cheese, tofu and soy.

If we talk about a drink that helps in building muscles then nonfat milk and soy protein drink are best. A healthy alternative to all these can be consuming protein shakes made from protein powder.

  How to keep your muscles healthy and strong

keep the following tips in mind

1.     Resistance and weight training are the best ways to rebuild muscles. It also helps build bone mass which keeps you mobile.

2.     Eating a high-quality protein diet can slow down the rate of muscle loss. Protein is composed of amino acids; the building blocks the body uses to grow and repair muscle tissues.

3.      Having Omega 3 fatty acid and vitamin D supplements, as it is tough to get these nutrients in daily meals. Mainly found in fatty fish (omega 3 fatty acid) and fish oil (vitamin D) and not possible to eat daily, supplements are the most effective way to prevent and reverse sarcopenia.

4.     Walking does not build big, bulky muscles but higher intensity walking is good for muscles as it reduces age-related muscle loss.

5.     Stop alcohol consumption to preserve your body.