Sarcopenia

Surrenne Belgravia’s resident fitness expert, Simon Inman, shares his wisdom and offers guidance on how to avoid this common complaint. 

Getting older is a privilege, but it can sometimes feel like a struggle to stay feeling your best when faced with the passing of Father Time ticks. One of the challenges lots of people face as they age is Sarcopenia. 
  
While some muscle loss can occur alongside aging, sarcopenia refers to clinically significant declines in muscle strength and function. When these symptoms start affecting your quality of life, this can lead to a diagnosis of sarcopenia.  Warning signs could be that you find it harder to keep your balance, you struggle to get out of a chair or the car, or stairs start to feel challenging. 

With the rise of GLP-1 medications and the associated reduction in appetite and calorie intake, it’s increasingly important to prioritise resistance training and protein consumption to help to preserve muscle mass and strength. Even in fit and healthy adults, sarcopenia can start presenting during your 60s and 70s, with signs even emerging as early as in your 30s and 40s.

At Surrenne Belgravia, we use industry-leading technology to screen muscle health and muscle quality. Members can access a body scan, grip-strength dynameter, undergo squat analysis or have their balance tested. Cognitive skill can also be assessed using Blazepods, as  visual movement patterns can often tell us more about muscle quality and function. 
 
If this is all sounding slightly ominous, don’t panic; the chances are, if you have been consistent with training and fitness, you will enjoy a healthy and vibrant older age.  And if your muscle mass does need a helping hand, it’s not too late. Now is the time to make real change, and it is surprisingly simple to achieve.

Daily tasks such as carrying shopping, climbing stairs and pushing a shopping trolley can all help to slow the process, however sometimes we need to get a little more physical. Being able to handle your own weight is key, and using equipment such as the TRX, or selected body weight exercises, helps to build this skill. Keeping quad and glute strength is paramount, with pushing and pulling movements for the upper body proving very effective. 

A growing body of evidence highlights the importance of adequate protein consumption (as much as 2g plus grams per kilo of bodyweight in a physically active adult) and various supplements in order to maintain muscle quality as we age. Creatine monohydrate is the leader of the pack and it is one of the most studied supplements when it comes to measuring impact in maintaining muscle strength and quality. 
 
Despite the challenges that GLP-1 medications can pose when it comes to muscle strength, I do still view them as a positive step in the health and wellness sector, when administered and managed appropriately. However, preserving muscle mass becomes a key focus for maintaining metabolic health and supporting long-term weight maintenance after discontinuing the medication.

Based on my experience of working with individuals using GLP-1 medications, as well as using various testing methods including body scans, I agree with the findings of published research; muscle loss can account for a meaningful proportion of total weight lost when resistance training is not included.

Evidence suggests that without strength training, approximately 15-30% 
of weight lost on GLP-1 therapy may come from lean mass. However, initiating a structured resistance training program early, ideally before or at the start of GLP-1 use, combined with sufficient protein intake can reduce lean mass loss to approximately 10-15% of total weight lost, which is hugely positive.

These strategies are critical for preserving functional strength, metabolic rate
and reducing the risk of weight regain after stopping of GLP-1 therapy. Here at Surrenne Belgravia we can be there every step of the way to support you - both as you lose weight and build muscle.