Muscle health plays a critical role in overall wellbeing, mobility, and healthy recovery. While some muscle loss naturally occurs with age, significant declines in muscle mass and strength, known as sarcopenia, can have serious effects on the body and quality of life.
Low muscle mass is associated with increased risk of falls, reduced independence, metabolic dysfunction, and poorer recovery from illness or medical treatment. Understanding the broader impacts of muscle loss highlights why maintaining muscle through nutrition, physical activity, and early intervention is essential for long-term health and longevity.
Falls and fractures are the leading cause of injury and injury-related death among older adults. Low muscle mass and reduced strength can impair balance, coordination, and stability, increasing the likelihood of falls and serious fractures.¹
Loss of muscle strength can limit mobility, making everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs, or getting out of a chair more difficult. Over time, this can contribute to reduced independence and a lower quality of life.²
Muscle mass is the single greatest determiner of metabolic rate, or how many calories your body burns each day. When muscle is lost, metabolism slows, which can make weight management more difficult and increase the risk of excess body fat accumulation.
Your heart is a muscle, and overall muscle health plays an important role in cardiovascular function. Muscle loss has been associated with poorer cardiovascular health outcomes and reduced physical endurance.
Muscles use blood glucose as a primary fuel source. Reduced muscle mass can impair glucose uptake and metabolism, increasing the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.³
Patients with low muscle mass are more vulnerable to complications during hospitalisation, including pressure injuries, infections, slower recovery, and reduced tolerance to physically demanding treatments such as chemotherapy.
For people with respiratory conditions, muscle loss can weaken the muscles involved in breathing. This may worsen breathing difficulties, reduce exercise tolerance, and contribute to additional respiratory complications.⁴
A higher muscle-to-fat ratio has been linked to greater longevity in older adults. Maintaining healthy muscle mass is associated with improved physical function, reduced disease risk, and better overall health outcomes.⁵
Oral Nutritional Supplements (ONS) like Ensure* can help support muscle health by providing high-quality protein, energy, vitamins and minerals that are important for maintaining strength, mobility and overall health. If you’re concerned about muscle loss, strength, weight loss, or healthy ageing, speak to your GP, dietitian or other relevant healthcare professional.
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*Food for Special Medical Purposes. Use under medical supervision.
References:
1. Bergen G, 2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep, 2016; 65:993–998. 2. Roubenoff R, 2003. The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, Volume 58, Issue 11, Pages M1012–M1017. Waiting 3. Srikanthan P, et al. A5 (2010) PLoS ONE, 5(5): e10805. 4. Byun, K, et al. International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, 12, 669–675. 5. Srikanthan P, Karlamangla A S, Am J Med. 2014;127(6):547-553.
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