Login | March 23, 2026
Aging and Sarcopenia
PETE GLADDEN
Published: March 23, 2026
When most of us think about the aging process we typically think about some of the more mundane occurrences - like grey hair, wrinkles, arthritis and slowing down.
Yet unfortunately these issues are the proverbial tip of the aging iceberg!
For in reality there are a host of aging-related processes that are far more than mundane, many of which we normally don’t even recognize as they’re occurring.
And it’s these silent and inconspicuous processes that decades later suddenly manifest themselves as overt and obvious.
So today let’s take a look at one of these silent aging processes, which if left unchecked can eventually leave us physically compromised when it comes to performing our day-to-day life tasks in a safe, efficient and confident manner.
And just to add insult to injury, as this process proceeds we gradually begin to notice that our body fat is increasing while our muscle mass is decreasing, causing us to look far less robust and healthy than we had looked in our earlier adult years.
As you may have already guessed, the aging process I’m zeroing in on is called sarcopenia, and with varying degrees of severity, it happens to all of us as we age.
Now on one of its informational web pages, the Cleveland Clinic describes sarcopenia as, “The age-related loss of muscle mass and strength.
The main symptom of the condition is muscle weakness. Sarcopenia is a type of muscle atrophy primarily caused by the aging process. Scientists believe that being physically inactive and eating an unhealthy diet can contribute to the disease.”
According the NIH (National Institute of Health) once we pass the 50-year mark our muscle mass decreases at approximately 1–2% per year.
And that loss of muscle has a direct affect on our strength, which itself declines by 1.5% between 50 and 60 years of age - and by a much more notable 3% after the age of 60.
The NIH also estimates that roughly 25-45% of US seniors have sarcopenia which is severe enough to be considered concerning, and even worse is their stat that indicates approximately 8.85% of people 40-64 have sarcopenia that has advanced far further than just age-related muscle atrophy.
Yet as mentioned earlier, it’s not only strength and muscle mass that are lost through sarcopenia, this process is usually associated with gaining more fatty mass.
And this increase in fatty tissue can subsequently become an issue itself because it increases the risk of obesity and metabolic diseases such as diabetes, heart & kidney disease, and various types of cancers.
Now the important thing to consider here when we’re talking about sarcopenia is the fact that it doesn’t just appear one day when you suddenly become a senior.
Heck, it can begin as early as 40 years of age.
So what’s the solution here with respect to thwarting the damaging effects of this age-related malady?
Well, first of all realize that there will be muscle loss as we age…that’s just a forgone conclusion.
But we can definitely control the degree and severity of this loss by including two very critical habits in our lifestyle - healthful eating along with plenty of strength training.
Resistance exercise, be it via weights, bands, machines or even body weight, will absolutely help to increase strength as well as retain that all important muscle tissue as we age.
And when you work to increase - or at the very least maintain - that lean muscle tissue you help to inhibit the process of fat accumulation.
Now there’s another question here with respect to sarcopenia.
If you’ve already been diagnosed with advanced sarcopenia is there anything you can do to abate or even reverse the damage?
Yes.
And there are numerous studies which have determined that resistance exercise can still make a difference even if you’re an older adult with debilitating sarcopenia.
One such study, “Impact of resistance exercise variants on sarcopenia: a scoping review,” published in the August 14, 2025 issue of the “Discover Public Health,”
found that, “Resistance exercise, when performed consistently for more than 16 weeks combined with dietary intervention, might have a beneficial effect on the reduction of sarcopenia.”
So whether you’re young or old, sarcopenia is a constant partner in your life…but you do have the ability to limit the severity and scope of this muscle-wasting malady.
It’s yours to control.