Welcome to the latest Ageing Runner Reading recommendation You can see a list of all my reading recommendations here and sign up for the Ageing Runner newsletter here to keep unto date with the latest research on running as we get older. – Chris
This is an article in the Irish Examiner by Dr Catherine Conlon and it introduced me to the term ‘sarcopenia’ which is the word given to loss of muscle mass experienced as we age. It is generally accepted that we lose around 15% of our muscle mass every 10 years after age 50.
The main causes of sarcopenia are ageing, chronic disease, low physical activity and poor nutrition. It has made me consider the precision of my language when talking about disease. I have been using the term ‘debilitating’ whereas ‘chronic’ might be more accurate. Frailty is also a useful medical term to use when discussing the effects of sarcopenia. This piece points towards an article published in the Age and Ageing journal. In it Professor John Travers (University College Dublin) reports the benefits of a protein rich diet including:
daily milk, eggs, tuna, chicken or plant-based protein such as beans and lentils. Protein provides the building blocks for muscle and bone.
That is a relief for me. Along with salad and a bit of fruit, it is mostly what I eat!
References
