From childhood to early adulthood, your muscles get bigger and stronger. But for all people over the age of 30, muscle mass steadily declines, especially with inactivity. This process, called sarcopenia, can eventually result in difficulty performing day-to-day activities, including walking, going up stairs, or lifting. 

While sarcopenia is a normal and expected part of aging, there are steps you can take to help manage its progression and its effects on your everyday life, particularly with exercises that strengthen your muscles. 

Read on to learn more about what causes sarcopenia, along with how to help manage it — especially with exercises recommended by our Hinge Health physical therapists. 

What Is Sarcopenia?

Sarcopenia refers to age-related decline in muscle and strength. On average, adults lose about three to eight percent of their muscle mass per decade after age 30 and the speed of loss increases significantly after 60, according to research. “For some people, this loss of muscle mass and strength can interfere with normal activities,” says Kristin Vinci, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Hinge Health. 

With this loss of muscle strength, you may not feel as stable, and you may have a hard time moving around and going about your routines. Sarcopenia can also increase the risk of falls and injuries. 

To help manage sarcopenia, Dr. Vinci recommends adding targeted strengthening exercises (like the ones below) to your daily routine. “As you age, you have to focus on building strength a little more intentionally than you may have done when you were younger,” she says. 

Causes of Sarcopenia

Loss of muscle strength is a typical part of aging, but it’s most common among people who are physically inactive. Experts have pinpointed certain physiological changes that may contribute to a decrease in muscle mass, such as: 

• Lower levels of hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone. (Women can lose up to 10% of their muscle mass during perimenopause, the phase that precedes menopause.)

• Decrease in protein intake and the body’s ability to convert protein into energy.

• Reduction in nerve cells that send messages from the brain to muscles to start moving. 

While sarcopenia can interfere with your ability to perform daily activities, Dr. Vinci emphasizes that certain lifestyle tweaks — such as exercise and increasing your protein intake — can help prevent it from impacting your life. 

Symptoms of Sarcopenia

Sarcopenia affects people differently. But some of the most common symptoms of sarcopenia include: 

• Muscle weakness

• Visible decrease of muscle mass

• Fatigue and tiredness

• Loss of stamina 

• Difficulty performing day-to-day activities

• Falls and injuries

While changes in your muscles are common with aging, Dr. Vinci says these symptoms are most likely to impact your life if you don’t prioritize strengthening exercises. 

Treatment Options for Sarcopenia

Physical changes like sarcopenia can be alarming and uncomfortable, but fortunately, there’s a lot you can do to manage sarcopenia and its impact on your ability to do the things you care about. The following tips from our Hinge Health physical therapists and medical doctors can help ease the effects of sarcopenia:

• Exercise. All types of exercise are beneficial as you get older, but resistance, or strength training with weights, is essential. “Strengthening exercises help increase the size and number of your muscle cells and help promote hormonal activity necessary for muscle growth,” says Dr. Vinci. 

• Nutrition. A balanced, nutrient-dense diet can also help prevent muscle loss. Incorporate plenty of lean protein, a key component in building muscle. Consuming fruits and vegetables, and minimizing sugar-filled or processed foods, can also help you manage conditions that can make it hard to exercise. “A dietitian or primary care provider can help you navigate your diet and potentially add supplements as you get older,” says Dr. Vinci. 

While researchers are currently exploring the use of medication to treat sarcopenia, none are FDA approved at this point. Lifestyle factors such as exercise and diet are the gold standards for preventing and treating sarcopenia.