Sarcopenia is a condition where muscle mass severely decreases. It’s more common in older individuals and leads to decreased strength and size of skeletal muscle. Recent research found that those who have type 2 diabetes may have an increased risk for sarcopenia. There are many causes of sarcopenia such as inactivity, poor diet, obesity, chronic diseases, malnutrition, and hormone reduction, but the main factor is increased age.
Muscles maintain our posture, stabilize our joints, and enable us to walk, run, and do everyday activities. This is why it’s so important to maintain a healthy diet and stay active throughout life.
Tips to help maintain muscle as you age:
- Do some sort of resistance exercise to help build muscle size and strength. This is one of the best ways to maintain muscle mass. Just getting up and moving is also great too!
- You can use resistance bands, light-weight dumbbells, kettle bells, or even water bottles as a weighted form of exercise.
- Make sure you consume enough protein to help maintain muscle mass.
While protein is important, make sure you’re eating an overall well-balanced diet.
All Blogs are written by Professionals in the fields of Nutrition, Human Development and Diabetes.