Understand sarcopenia, a disease that leads to loss of body muscle mass associated with decreased strength

Sarcopenia is a disease that leads to loss of body muscle mass associated with decreased strength (the tension that the muscle generates to perform a certain movement, such as shaking hands) and physical performance (ability to produce movements efficiently, such as take a walk). The condition involves a chronic inflammatory process and is associated with cognitive changes and heart and respiratory diseases. Thus, it greatly impairs the quality of life of patients, reduces their independence and increases the risk of injuries, falls and even death.

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According to a report by Agência FAPESP, the problem is more common in the elderly, affecting 15% of the population over 60 years old – this figure increases to 46% if only individuals over 80 years old are considered. Another common feature in people in this age group is an increase in sleep disturbances. All these conditions favor the development of a condition similar to that of chronic sleep restriction, contributing to an increase in inflammation. The relationship between these factors was the starting point for a study conducted by researchers from the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp) and the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), in Minas Gerais. The results were published in the “International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health”. Scientists had already observed in previous experiments the relationship between sleep deprivation and muscle loss in rats.

— We saw in animal models that sleep debt generates muscle atrophy and impairs muscle restoration – exactly the same type of muscle fibers that are most damaged during the development of sarcopenia, type 2, responsible for rapid contraction — says Helton de Sá Souza, associate professor of the Department of Physical Education at UFV. — At the same time, our group had also observed that the sleep of elderly people with sarcopenia is worse than that of elderly people without this diagnosis — he adds.

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In the research, a group of 14 elderly people diagnosed with the disease performed resistance training three times a week for three months. The volunteers did three sets of eight exercises for the major muscle groups (chest, back, shoulder, arm, front and back of the thigh).

Another 14 individuals with the same age group and who suffered from the same illness just participated in weekly meetings with different health professionals with the purpose of increasing their knowledge about changes in lifestyle associated with the improvement of the disease. The 28 participants were assisted throughout the study period by physical education professionals, physiotherapists, nutritionists and physicians. They also did several tests, including blood tests, body composition, physical function and sleep tests. These data were obtained before the beginning of the interventions and after their end, so that they could be compared.

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More studies on other tracks

According to Souza, for the diagnosis of sarcopenia to be confirmed, it is necessary for the elderly person to present a reduction in strength or muscle performance associated with loss of lean mass. In participants undergoing resistance training, the researchers observed an improvement in muscle strength by all means of measurement. Handgrip tests and another type of test that evaluates the torque of the legs were performed with the dynamometer, which is placed on the individual’s limb during the maximum isometric contraction of the muscle. Metabolic, hormonal and inflammatory marker-related analyzes were performed with blood samples. The authors, however, point out that further studies are needed to understand whether this also occurs in different age groups (even among the elderly) and genders, as well as in individuals with and without sarcopenia.

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