{
  "id": 19881610,
  "title": "Are you losing muscle without knowing it? These tests can detect sarcopenia as you age",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/are-you-losing-muscle-without-knowing-it-these-tests-can-detect",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-13T22:52:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CNA - Singapore",
    "slug": "cna-singapore",
    "url": "https://www.channelnewsasia.com/wellness/sarcopenia-muscle-loss-tests-dexa-handgrip-strength-ageing-6542351"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Many individuals may not realize they are losing muscle mass over time until it becomes a significant issue. This gradual reduction in muscle size and strength, known as sarcopenia, affects a considerable portion of the population. Sarcopenia can make basic tasks such as getting up from a chair or climbing stairs increasingly difficult, ultimately reducing one's independence. The condition is often undetected until later stages since it doesn't visibly alter a person's appearance.\n\nAge-related muscle loss begins as early as 30 years old, with a 3 to 5 percent decline in muscle mass per decade after that age. Even individuals under 40 years old can have sarcopenia, according to data from the PRECISE-SG100K cohort in Singapore, which includes approximately 100,000 residents aged 21 to 84. Men may be at higher risk for sarcopenia than women, although more research is needed to understand this trend in the Asian population.\n\nInsulin resistance, often linked to type 2 diabetes, can contribute to muscle loss by impairing the muscles' ability to utilize glucose and maintain themselves. Additionally, changes during menopause may increase the risk of sarcopenia, as declining estrogen levels can lead to abdominal fat accumulation, reduced bone density, and declines in muscle mass and strength. While joint wear and sarcopenia are distinct conditions, they can be closely related, as weaker muscles around a joint provide less support and shock absorption, potentially worsening joint degeneration symptoms.",
  "summary": "You may look the same on the outside but your muscles could be shrinking without you knowing it. Doctors explain the signs of age-related muscle loss, the tests that can detect it, and whether strength training and nutrition can really help reverse the damage.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}