Welcome to Physiology!
What is Physiology? Physiology is a branch of biology that deals with the functions and activities of life or of living matter (such as organs, tissues, or cells).
Ageing is often characterized and understood by simply looking at the loss of muscle mass, muscle strength and the decline of functional performance (Barber, Scicchitano, & Musaro, 2015), along with this , structural alterations take place in the body which consequently, hinder the ability to complete simple activities and daily living becomes impaired, reducing a persons independence and therefore their quality of life (Doherty, 2003).
Ageing leads to reductions in muscle mass, strength and function, commonly known as sarcopenia ( Dodds et al., 2015). Sarcopenia has recently been associated with an increased risk of falls, chronic metabolic disease, physical disability, poor health-related quality of life and consequent loss of independence (Cruz-Jentoft et al., 2014). It is generally associated with more body fat and reduced muscle mass Reduced muscle mass has been directly linked with lowered muscle strength, lowered maximal aer-obic capacity, and decreased bone density in elderly adults (Evans, 1995)
Strength training (ST) is a very effective and an easy doable way for the older adult generation to improve their muscle mass, strength and functional performance therefore easing life and simplifying everyday tasks (Bechshøft et al., 2017).
‘Diet and exercise modulate the rate of functional decline with age and can be used to delay or postpone the onset of disability or dysfunction.’ (Drewnowski & Evans, 2001)
Physiology and Nutrition 