As we age many changes occur within our bodies and one of these changes is loosing muscle mass. This is a natural occurrence as we age however the implications and knock on effect of a reduction in muscle does impact us in many ways not just in the appearance of our bodies.

So how can you help prevent muscle loss as you age?

The Function of Muscles

Muscles have many roles within the body and there are various types of muscle, however in this article we are going to concentrate on skeletal muscle.

Skeletal muscle moves the bones of the body that they are attached to. They are used in lifting objects, movement such as walking, and maintains the posture of the body. They also provide protection to the body surrounding the bones which can cushion any impact to the body such as a trip or fall.

As we can see above skeletal muscle is very important to us especially as we age, so preventing the loss of muscle should be of great importance to everybody at any age.

Sarcopenia

Sarcopenia is the term used for age related muscle loss, and unfortunately it is an inevitable part of the aging process. It usually starts as we reach our 50s however lifestyle and health factors do play a role in when the effects start to be seen.

By the time we reach 75 almost everyone experiences the effects of sarcopenia as the effects of a reduction in nerve cells responsible for triggering muscle movement, a reduction in certain hormones and a decrease in the ability to turn protein into energy occurs thus causing a reduction in muscle mass.

So there is the bad news, however there are things we can do to slow down the effects of sarcopenia, when it starts and the speed of progression, which is what we are going to look at next.

So what can we do to slow down and reduce the effects of Sarcopenia?

Like most things prevention is the key, thinking about anti-aging in your 30s, 40s, 50s is a massive advantage as even if you have noticed the effects of sarcopenia it is never too late start to improve your physical health and reduce the effects of sarcopenia.

Lead An Active Lifestyle.

Keeping active can impact your heath in a very positive way, keeping your body resilient to disease and age related changes. It is important to try to incorporate gentle physical activity into your daily routine and try to reduce the amount of time seated, moving often and keeping mobile.

Some great examples of this are taking a walk around where you live, doing a physical activity you enjoy that you look forward to doing and where possible do it with friends. This will help with motivation and can be a great opportunity to catch up with friends

Eat A Healthy Diet.

Food is very important to our overall health and diet plays a major role in the efficient functioning of our body.

As we age we need to eat more protein rich foods such as lean meats and plant based sources. This will help as the body becomes less efficient at turning protein that we eat into energy and muscle mass thus requiring more protein to get the same results. Eating a healthy and balanced diet will also help maintain general physical health which in turn helps you to stay active, lift weights and reduce muscle loss.

Try Resistance/Strength Training.

At what ever age you are when it comes to following an exercise program or attending an exercise class, lifting weights or other resistance training is the best thing you can do to prevent muscle loss. It is important however if you are new to strength training that you know what you are doing. Always look up a qualified health and fitness professional and ask them for help or better still attend a local exercise class that can show you exactly what to do and can keep an eye on you and help with specific goal you may have. Doing an activity that incorporates total body resistance training 2-3 times a week is a great goal to have and will pay dividends in the reduction of sarcopenia.

Improve Your Balance and Flexibility. 

As great as strength work is,  it is always a great idea to balance this out with some flexibility training. Strength training can potentially shorten the length of a muscle over time and other forms of exercise such as Yoga and Pilates are great to length and help keep muscles flexible. Flexibility and stretching can also help with improved balance and a reduction in trips and falls which can reduce mobility and cause injury. It is important to balance the activities you do and not over work the body, especially as a beginner, we are trying to get the body to respond to manageable increases, over a period that is both healthy and enjoyable.

So as we can see from the above article although we will lose some muscle mass as we age there are definitely things we can do to help slow this process down and there is no better time than now to start. As with all things prevention is better than cure so get out there find an activity you think you are going to enjoy and see how you can get involved. Local groups and health classes are great as they combine health and social activities which can form firm friendships and meeting like-minded people. This can be great motivation and encouragement especially when you are first starting out, or if you need some guidance or advice on the activity you like the look of. It is important however you don’t run before you can walk, take it nice and slow, don’t over do it and have a great time knowing that you are helping your future self by delaying the reduction of your muscle as you age.

Team Thomas