What is sarcopenia?

The word sarcopenia, coming from the Greek ‘sarx’, for flesh and ‘penia’ for loss, describes the progressive decline in muscle mass that accompanies ageing. Generally speaking, after the age of 50 we naturally lose about 1 % of our muscle mass per year. These small losses go mostly unnoticed, but over time they can accumulate, resulting in decreased strength and function which can lead to an increased risk of falling, physical disability, frailty and poor quality of life.