Muscle loss with age: causes, signs and ways to prevent it

Staying mobile, being spontaneous, shaping our daily lives on our own terms – much of what we hope for in the future is closely linked to our muscles. After all, muscles do far more than just move our bodies: they help to maintain our independence and quality of life.

However, as we get older, our muscles also change. Muscle mass and muscle strength can gradually decline – a process known as sarcopenia. As this process usually takes place gradually, it often goes unnoticed for a long time. It frequently only becomes noticeable when everyday tasks require more effort. Walking to the bus stop, carrying a shopping bag or getting up from the sofa – many things we take for granted depend directly on well-maintained muscles.

Muscle loss (sarcopenia) does not usually happen overnight. Rather, it develops gradually over many years and therefore often goes unnoticed for a long time. There is rarely just a single cause behind it. Instead, various factors interlock like cogs in a wheel and influence how well our muscles are maintained over the course of our lives.

These include:

Ageing brings change – including to our muscles. Muscle mass begins to decline slowly from the age of 30. At the same time, the body becomes less efficient at building new muscle proteins and regenerating muscle tissue.

To put it figuratively: the body’s own ‘muscle workshop’ remains open – but over the years it works a little more slowly than it used to.

Muscles are remarkably adaptable. They adjust to what is required in everyday life.

If there is a prolonged lack of physical activity, the body reacts accordingly and breaks down muscle mass. Periods of physical inactivity in particular – such as following illness or injury, but also a predominantly sedentary lifestyle – can accelerate this process.

A simple principle applies here: muscles want to be used. Every walk, every flight of stairs and every targeted strength exercise sends a clear signal to the body: these muscles are still needed. Many small stimuli thus add up to make a significant contribution to strength, mobility and quality of life.

Inside the body, too, many changes take place over the years. Hormonal balance shifts, and the levels of various hormones involved in building and maintaining muscle gradually decline.

In addition, chronic conditions such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease or age-related inflammatory processes can place a strain on the muscles. As a result, the body finds it harder to maintain muscle mass and strength in the long term.

These changes are part of the natural ageing process and demonstrate that muscle loss is often the result of several factors acting together.

When you think of muscles, you should also think of protein. Exercise alone is not enough. In order to maintain and build muscle, the body needs the right building blocks. Protein provides exactly that.

However, as we get older, the way our muscles respond to training and nutritional stimuli changes. Many people also eat less, have a reduced appetite or, overall, consume too little high-quality protein. At the same time, the importance of ensuring an adequate protein intake increases.

You could say: Muscles need both – a clear training stimulus and the building blocks to respond to it. Only the combination of exercise and protein creates the foundation for maintaining muscle mass and strength for as long as possible.

As well as protein, the muscles also require an adequate supply of micronutrients. If the body is deprived of important nutrients over a prolonged period, this can also affect muscle health and normal muscle function.

Relevant micronutrients include, amongst others, vitamin D, magnesium and zinc. They perform various functions in the body and help to support important processes relating to the muscles. For example, vitamin D helps to maintain normal muscle function; magnesium plays a role in normal muscle function and electrolyte balance; whilst zinc, amongst other things, contributes to normal protein synthesis.

Perhaps this is the most inspiring message from muscle science: Our future is not solely a question of age. Even in old age, muscles can respond to exercise, training and the right nutrients (Fiatarone et al. 1994).

Although the ageing process cannot be stopped, there is a great deal we can do to support our muscles. The following six building blocks show what is important in this regard.

If muscles had a native language, it would be ‘resistance’.

Strength training provides targeted stimulation and reminds the body what it is meant to do: carry, stand up, stabilise and move. Every training session sends the signal: these muscles are needed.

It doesn’t necessarily have to involve heavy weights. Exercises using your own body weight, resistance bands or strength training equipment can also be effective. Just two to three training sessions a week can make a valuable contribution.

What matters isn’t perfection, but consistency.

Muscles need not only exercise, but also rest. This is because the actual adaptation processes do not take place during training, but during the recovery phases afterwards.

Important repair and regeneration processes take place whilst you sleep. Getting enough sleep helps the body adapt to physical stress and maintain muscle tissue in the long term.

That is why exercise and recovery always go hand in hand – like two sides of the same coin.

Muscles do not work on their own. Together with our bones, they ensure that we can move, remain stable and lead an active everyday life.

One nutrient plays a particularly important role in this interaction: vitamin D. It helps maintain normal muscle function and healthy bones. However, lower vitamin D levels are not uncommon, particularly in older people – partly because time spent outdoors often decreases and the body’s own production of vitamin D declines.

That is why a simple principle of modern preventative healthcare is becoming increasingly important: measure, understand, supplement as needed. Knowing your vitamin D status allows you to better assess your individual needs and make informed decisions.

Muscle health is not achieved through a single nutrient. Rather, it is the result of a well-balanced interaction between various micronutrients.

These include, amongst others, magnesium, B vitamins and zinc, which are involved in key processes relating to energy metabolism, muscle function and protein metabolism. Antioxidant micronutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium are also increasingly being considered in relation to the nutritional needs of ageing muscle cells.

It is therefore worth taking a holistic view of muscle health. Alongside exercise, protein and vitamin D, an adequate intake of micronutrients forms an important foundation for ensuring that the muscles can fulfil their many functions day after day.

Perhaps that is precisely the most important message: Strong muscles mean far more than just physical strength. They help us to stay active, overcome the challenges of everyday life and shape our lives as we see fit for as long as possible. Every movement, every training session and every conscious decision to look after our muscle health is therefore an investment in our freedom tomorrow.