Loss of muscle mass, or sarcopenia, is a natural part of ageing. Recent research shows that women lose more muscle mass as they transition into the menopause years.
Much of your body is made up of skeletal muscle, known as muscle mass. These are voluntary muscles, meaning one can control how they move and work. For example, if you reach for something high on a shelf, you are using the muscles in your shoulder, neck and arms.
Involuntary muscles are those which work without one thinking about it, such as the cardiac muscle which helps to pump blood throughout the body.
Muscle mass is a vital part of overall health. It’s the key to mobility, balance and strength – the tenets of physical function.
Muscles also have a role to play in metabolism – having more muscle burns calories faster. It also aids the body’s response to recovery from trauma and illness.
A 2009 study in the ePlasty Journal found that a 10 per cent loss of muscle can have negative effects on health, such as weakening the immune system’s response to common disease-causing bacteria and viruses.
Low muscle mass also leads to cardiovascular risks, breathing problems, weight problems and even a higher risk of falls and fractures due to weakness.
THE LINK BETWEEN MUSCLE MASS AND MENOPAUSE
Sarcopenia is mostly caused by the natural ageing process from physical inactivity or injury, causing immobility, obesity and chronic diseases.
Adults lose between 3 per cent and 8 per cent of muscle mass after the age of 30, a 2004 study about sarcopenia found. From age 50, this rate of decline accelerates by 5 per cent to 10 per cent and speeds up after the age of 60.
