Lean Muscle Mass Critically Important to Healthy Aging

One of the most dangerous aspects of aging is losing strength and muscle mass. Our muscles help us control our bodies and increase our resiliency. The medical term for age-related loss of muscle mass is called Sarcopenia.

While some of this decline in strength is inevitable, there is a lot that individuals can do to maximize their muscle mass and preserve their performance.

The mild onset of Sarcopenia begins sometime between the mid-thirties and the early forties, but lifestyle and genes play a massive role in how the condition manifests. The rate of muscle loss speeds up by around one or two percent per year during the fifties.

The concept of use-it-or-lose-it also applies. If you aren't working out and staying active, the rate of strength decline becomes exacerbated, and it gets harder and harder to restore and build muscle.

By a person's seventies, they may have lost as much as half of their maximum muscle mass due to age-related decline. Males have more problems with Sarcopenia than females—current data suggests that men are 13 times more likely than women to struggle with Sarcopenia at a given age.

The following are some of the signs and symptoms of Sarcopenia:

• Slow-paced walking speed
• Instability and unsteady gait
• Loss of weight without intention
• Day-to-day routine becomes a struggle
• Diminishing muscle mass
• Reduced strength
• Low Stamina

Preventing Sarcopenia is Critical to Healthy Aging

To protect the quality of life and improve longevity, it is critical to take steps to prevent the worst effects of Sarcopenia. The most dangerous risks of Sarcopenia are bone fractures and breaks due to falls. A femur break or a shattered hip drastically impacts mortality risk and is a common cause of disability and early death.

Sarcopenia makes it harder to control one's body, and motion impairs reflexes and makes falls more dangerous. Worsening Sarcopenia is also associated with Osteoporosis, a threat multiplier for harmful fall outcomes.

Recent research outlines other dangers associated with Sarcopenia. Studies have shown that muscle loss contributes to pneumonia risk, poor surgery outcomes, increased risk of gastric cancer, and difficulty swallowing.

Hormone Imbalance Contributes to Sarcopenia

One of the reasons why it becomes harder to build and sustain muscle mass as we get older is changes in our Hormone Levels. Testosterone and Human Growth Hormone both play essential roles in maintaining muscle, bone, and joint health. HGH encourages cellular metabolism, including the healing processes that help reinforce muscle mass and strength.

Testosterone is a wonderfully potent anabolic hormone that plays an active role in amplifying men's response to anaerobic exertion. Men are more reliant on Testosterone than women (who produce significantly less), which is one reason they are at such heightened risk of Sarcopenia. Taking steps to support and retain Healthy Hormone Levels feeds the muscles and improves strength and stamina.

Aerobic Exercise, Strength Training, and Balance Exercises Defend Against Sarcopenia

The best way to keep your muscles strong and fend off the threat of muscle loss is to stay active and in control of your body. Aerobic exercise is one of the best and easiest ways to do this. You need to get your heartbeat up with a minimum of moderate vigor. You don't even have to run; you just need to walk or move fast enough to put pressure on your cardiovascular system.

Many trainers suggest that you should be exercising at a minimum moderate pace for at least 2 ½ hours per week. Research has shown that just a few months of machine aerobics at this rate reduces the effects of Sarcopenia, increases mobility and range of motion, and reinforces knee strength.

Resistance exercises are also a boon to muscle strength and mass preservation. A workout routine designed to lift heavier weights over time is excellent, but it doesn't have to be the end goal of your weight training to protect against frailty.

Lifting moderate weight and focusing on slow reps helps you improve your delicate muscle control and can keep you agile and less prone to slip and fall risk. These slow reps also encourage collagen growth and stronger joints, reducing the risk of wear-and-tear injury.

Lastly, yoga, tai chi, and other exercises emphasizing coordination and balance keep your brain in tune with your body, improving your agility, range of motion, and general capabilities. Even if you can't commit to 2 ½ hours of exercise every week, every bit of regular exercise you engage in will keep you healthier and longer!

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