Why does Herstasis love this paper?

Because it’s easy to read and has clear, easy to understand recommendations for preventing age-related muscle loss.

  • It outlines the recommendations from the Society for Sarcopenia, Cachexia, and Wasting Disease to help prevent and/or manage muscle loss in older individuals. 
  • Low levels of vitamin D are associated with low muscle strength, so vitamin D levels should be checked in older women and supplemented in women with low values. 
  • Sarcopenia, losing muscle mass, is a natural part of physical aging but it is manageable and possibly preventable if addressed before muscle mass is lost during the menopausal transition years. The key to prevention of sarcopenia is both resistance and aerobic exercise combined with adequate protein and energy intake.
elder sufer lady with a board before entering the sea

Abstract

An expert panel was brought together to review existing literature and develop nutritional recommendations for prevention and management of sarcopenia, which is age-related muscle loss. While adequate protein intake (especially those including the amino acids leucine and possibly creatine) may enhance muscle strength, eating sufficient protein alone only slows the loss of muscle mass. Aerobic and resistance exercise is also required because exercise combined with eating adequate protein and energy-providing food was found to be the key component of preventing and managing sarcopenia. If your vitamin D levels are low, vitamin D replacement is also required. 

Women entering the menopausal transition need more awareness of how to prevent and manage sarcopenia as they age in order to maintain their strength and their quality of life (QOL). 

Original Source

Keywords

Menopausal transition

Perimenopause

Aging

Sarcopenia

Nutrition

Amino acids

Creatine

Protein

Vitamin D

Citation

Morley, J. E., Argiles, J. M., Evans, W. J., Bhasin, S., Cella, D., Deutz, N. E., Doehner, W., Fearon, K. C., Ferrucci, L., Hellerstein, M. K., Kalantar-Zadeh, K., Lochs, H., MacDonald, N., Mulligan, K., Muscaritoli, M., Ponikowski, P., Posthauer, M. E., Rossi Fanelli, F., Schambelan, M., Schols, A. M., Schuster M.W., and Anker, S.D., 2010

Summary

  1. Which nutrients can help avoid age-related muscle loss.
  2. How protein synthesis is affected by essential amino acids, especially leucine (which you can get from sources like eggs or navy beans) and creatine (which you can get from sources like seafood and red meat). 
  3. The importance of vitamin D and how to ensure you are getting enough. 

  1. How to prevent and manage muscle-loss associated with getting older. 
  2. Provides details on specific protein and amino acid requirements to avoid losing muscle mass.
  3. Gives guidance on optimal exercise and optimal levels of vitamin D.

  1. The authors are members of an expert panel convened by the Society for Sarcopenia, Cachexia, and Wasting Disease. This indicates they are leaders in their fields.
  2. It is a review paper, so is based on a systematic literature review for all nutrients that could impact age-related muscle-loss. 
  3. It was published in a credible, peer-reviewed journal, The Journal of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.

Related Symptoms & Therapies

Movement Therapy

Learn More

Nutrition Therapy

Learn More

About the Author

The authors are members of an expert panel convened by the Society for Sarcopenia, Cachexia, and Wasting Disease. This indicates they are leaders in their fields.

About the Source

This paper was published in a credible, peer-reviewed journal, The Journal of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.

Back to resources library