Sarcopenia

Sarcopenia

By: Gabrielle Lively

Introduction

​Case Study:

Jacob is an 82-year-old man who has already has diagnosis for rheumatoid arthritis. His doctor prescribed that he intake his protein because he wasn't getting enough of it. Due to many strokes, he cannot move much and spends a lot of time in a wheelchair and in bed.

Multiple Select

What are causes of the possible disease?

• Old age

• Allergies

• Protein deficiency

Multiple Choice

How old is Jacob?

• 82

• 72

• 63

• 62

Diagnosis

After listing the symptoms and the doctors measuring muscle mass using DXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) * they conclude that Jacob has sarcopenia, or muscle loss.

There are other various treatment options like measuring the circumfrence of the calf and testing grip strength.

*A BIA is also possible to diagnose sarcopenia

Physiology

​Sarcopenia

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Sarcopenia, or involuntary loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength from old age. It is a musculoskeletal disease meaning it can affect bones, joints, muscles and connective tissue. It also affects the protein equilibrium of muscle between synthesis and degradation.

Sarcopenia can also increase your frailty and numbers of falls and fractures and basic functional impairment.

Multiple Select

What can sarcopenia cause?

• Increased heartbeat

• Increased Falls

• Increased fractures

• Increased amount of sweat

Multiple Choice

What is a musculoskeletal disease?

• A disease that causes hair loss.

• A disease that affects the bones, muscles, connective tissue, and joints.

• A disease that specifically disrupt the making of sugar in the body.

• A disease tht affects only your foot.

Treatment

Sarcopenia can be treated by creating a healthy diet, taking amino acids and resistance-based training this can increase your protein intake, and reverse muscle loss. Prevention includes physical exercise and, specifically, 25 - 30 g of high-quality protein with each meal. You could also take leucine, beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate and vitamin D but is not required.

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Multiple Choice

What does physical exercise and increased protein intake do for sarcopenia?

• Reverses the angle of joints

• Reverses the flow of electrolytes

• Reverses aging

• Reverses sarcopenia

Multiple Choice

Does sarcopenia require medication?

• Yes

• No

Resources

Sarcopenia in older adults - PMC (nih.gov)

Sarcopenia: Tilting the Balance of Protein Homeostasis - PubMed (nih.gov)

Sarcopenia (Muscle Loss): Symptoms & Causes (clevelandclinic.org)

Sarcopenia as a severe organ failure, its diagnosing and present therapeutic possibilities - PubMed (nih.gov)

Musculoskeletal Disorders - Selected Health Conditions and Likelihood of Improvement with Treatment - NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)

Treatment of sarcopenia: the road to the future - PMC (nih.gov)

Nutrition for Sarcopenia - PMC (nih.gov)