Session Details

Breaking the Cycle of Decline: Vitality Beyond 50 with Functional Medicine

Health Care & Home Care

Date: Saturday, August 23, 2025
Time: 1:20 pm

As adults age, unintentional weight loss, muscle weakness, and declining energy become growing concerns. Research shows that 30% of adults over 50 experience muscle loss (Rosenberg, 2021), increasing the risk of frailty, falls, and chronic disease. Additionally, those who lose weight unexpectedly after age 60 face a higher likelihood of developing dementia (Smith et al., 2022). While many believe weight loss is always beneficial, in older adults, it can signal hormonal imbalances, malnutrition, or chronic inflammation, accelerating physical and cognitive decline.

Aging-related weight loss often correlates with sarcopenia, poor gut health, and metabolic dysfunction—factors that functional medicine effectively addresses. Beyond appearance, maintaining muscle and a healthy weight is crucial for mobility, cognition, and independence. Unmanaged weight loss contributes to increased frailty, cognitive decline, weakened immunity, and hormonal disruptions, all of which impact quality of life.

The good news is that aging does not have to mean inevitable decline. Functional medicine provides proactive solutions through nutrition, hormone balance, and gut health optimization. With the right approach, adults over 50 can maintain strength, resilience, and vitality, ensuring they age well and sustain an active, independent lifestyle.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the Risks of Unintentional Weight Loss in Aging:

   • Identify the potential causes of weight loss in adults over 50, including muscle loss (sarcopenia), hormonal imbalances, malnutrition, and chronic inflammation.
   • Recognize the connection between unintentional weight loss and increased risks of frailty, falls, cognitive decline, and chronic disease.

2. Explore the Role of Functional Medicine in Addressing Age-Related Weight Changes:

   • Learn how functional medicine identifies and treats the root causes of weight loss through a personalized approach.
   • Discover the impact of gut health, metabolic balance, and hormonal optimization in maintaining a healthy weight and muscle mass.

3. Implement Actionable Strategies for Healthy Aging and Weight Management:

   • Apply evidence-based solutions such as targeted nutrition, strength training, and lifestyle modifications to prevent decline.
   • Develop a proactive plan for maintaining vitality, energy, and independence using functional medicine principles.