What is sarcopenia in the elderly? What foods are good for the elderly with sarcopenia?

We often see some elderly grandparents who are very thin, and some are just skin and bones. This is a very common disease among the elderly, which is caused by muscle degeneration due to age, medically known as sarcopenia. So how can we ensure the muscle content of the elderly?

What is sarcopenia in the elderly?

Sarcopenia is a lack of muscle, a muscle degeneration phenomenon associated with aging, and a common symptom in the elderly. Surveys and studies show that the proportion of people over 70 years old suffering from sarcopenia is higher than 20%, and about half of the people over 80 years old have symptoms of sarcopenia.

The typical symptom of sarcopenia is lower limb weakness, which often occurs together with osteoporosis.

Elderly people with sarcopenia will endanger their health and affect their quality of life. Being overweight or obese at the same time will be more harmful to their health. Elderly people with sarcopenia have reduced muscle mass and bone density, making them more susceptible to osteoporosis.

Elderly people with sarcopenia have reduced mobility and may have difficulty completing daily activities such as walking, making them prone to falls and increasing the risk of fractures.

What foods are good for the elderly with sarcopenia?

Increase muscle content and supplement protein. Protein is the main component of muscle. The elderly should consume an appropriate amount of protein according to their weight and exercise volume, and it is recommended to consume high-quality protein. In addition to meat, eggs, soy products, and dairy products are rich in protein and should be supplemented. It is recommended to eat livestock and poultry meat in limited quantities, preferably only lean meat, and the daily intake should not exceed 40-75g.

In addition, the elderly should also eat more seafood, which is rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Scientific research shows that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids help improve the body's muscle neuron function and reduce muscle damage and fatigue. Animal liver and egg yolks are rich in vitamin D, and the elderly are also advised to consume more.

Moderate exercise, especially outdoor exercise, helps promote the synthesis of vitamin D in the body and reduce the risk of osteoporosis and muscle atrophy in the elderly. It is recommended to exercise for about 1 hour each time. When exercising, you should pay attention to safety and intensity and do it within your ability.

Should older people eat more meat?

There is nothing wrong with eating meat, but it must be lean meat.

To prevent hypertension and dyslipidemia in the elderly, try to choose meat with low fat content, such as fish (fat content 1%~10%), poultry (chicken fat content 9%~14%, duck fat content about 20%), and eggs.

The fat content of these is lower than that of livestock meat (the average fat content of pork is about 30%, mutton is about 15%, and beef is about 5%). The fat content of lean pork is also around 7%~13%.

In addition, the fat in livestock meat is mainly saturated fat, and excessive intake of saturated fat increases the risk of atherosclerosis.

Therefore, the elderly should first choose fish, duck and appropriate amounts of beef (to supplement hemoglobin iron and prevent iron deficiency anemia), peel chicken or eat more soy products, which contain high-quality protein, low fat (mostly unsaturated fatty acids), soy sterols can lower cholesterol, and soy oligosaccharides can maintain intestinal health.