Modern medicine diagnoses this decline in physical performance that comes with aging as frailty syndrome or sarcopenia, and recommends active management. The repercussions are far too significant to simply attribute to age, as it can lead to more severe health issues such as cardiovascular disease, falls, and fractures.
Frailty syndrome is generally diagnosed when three or more of the following symptoms are present: first, unintentional weight loss, defined as losing 4.5 kg or more than 5 percent of body weight over the past year; second, extreme fatigue, felt as a lack of energy three or more days a week; third, slow gait speed, noticeably slower than normal walking speed; fourth, muscle weakness, assessed via handgrip strength tests; and fifth, reduced physical activity. If three or more of these apply to you, frailty syndrome can be suspected.
In particular, sarcopenia refers to the loss of muscle mass and muscle weakness that accompany aging. Going beyond a mere reduction in muscle quantity, muscle quality also deteriorates, leading to loss of strength and frequent stumbles that greatly impact daily life. While it was once considered a natural phenomenon of aging, it is now classified as an independent disease, emphasizing active prevention and treatment.
Why, then, do frailty syndrome and sarcopenia develop? Complex changes take place inside our body. As a chronic inflammatory state persists, muscle proteolysis is accelerated, and the secretion of hormones vital for muscle synthesis, such as growth hormone and sex hormones, decreases. Furthermore, mitochondria that produce energy suffer hypofunction, and insulin resistance rises, leaving muscles unable to utilize glucose properly. As all these changes interact, muscles become increasingly weak, falling into a vicious cycle that leads to a systemic loss of vitality. These changes are not confined to muscles alone; they affect overall body systems including the nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system, resulting in a systemic state of frailty. Therefore, if your flesh and vitality are not what they used to be, do not merely blame aging; listen closely to your body's signals and address them actively.
