New studies to target muscle mass as key to successful aging

Which part of the body is most vital to senior citizens' independence?

Studies increasingly suggest it's not the mind, bones or heart. It's their muscles.

Researchers, armed with new federal funding, are exploring the ties between maintaining muscle mass and successful aging. The University of Florida's Institute on Aging this month received a $5.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue studying what causes age-related muscle loss — known as sarcopenia — and how it can be prevented.

The answers are critical, especially in Broward and Palm Beach counties, where more than a half-million people are older than age 65. Studies suggest debilitating sarcopenia may affect 40 percent of people once they hit 80, and accounts for $18.5 million in annual health-care expenditures nationally.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-06-14/health/fl-senior-muscle-loss-20120613_1_sarcopenia-muscle-loss-aging