As we age, many of us may experience decreased hormone secretion, reduced physical activity, and a lack of nutrients in our diets, which accelerates the loss of muscle mass. When a person loses too much muscle, sarcopenia sets in.
The Risk of Sarcopenia
Sarcopenia causes muscle strength decline, affects mobility and quality of life, and increases the risk of chronic diseases, cognitive impairment, and even death.After age 50, men and women experience more apparent signs of bodily aging. The risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease may also increase as we age.
9 Functions of Muscle
Muscle mass naturally declines as we age, and the rate of decline tends to accelerate after the age of 60. On average, individuals may experience a decrease in muscle mass of approximately 3 to 8 percent per decade after reaching the age of 30. Muscles age as soon as you stop moving your body.- Maintain balance and keep us from falling: Many older people experience fractures due to accidental falls, leading to health decline.
- Help the body exercise and move around effectively and safely.
- Support joints and maintain mobility: Muscles also reduce pain from diseases such as arthritis.
- Support the proper functioning of the heart and lungs.
- Aid in chewing.
- Promote appetite.
- Ensure practical insulin usage: Muscles help prevent diabetes or keep it from worsening.
- Prevent senile dementia by supplying energy to the brain.
- Protect the body from medicinal side effects.
Protein Maintains Muscle
In terms of their biochemical impact, our muscles have another significant role: They serve as the body’s storehouse for protein.Protein helps the body to repair itself. The cells of your body are wearing out every second. Every cell in every organ—from the skin to the digestive tract, to the blood, to all the substances that sustain life—has a certain lifespan. Some have a lifespan of a few hours, days, or months before they are replaced and renewed. This continuous renewal process requires protein.
Protein also helps to fight inflammation and provides energy to the brain.
There are three fundamental mechanisms of muscle reconstruction: hormonal signals, nerve signals, and muscle activity.
When our bodies encounter adversity at a young age—such as trauma, surgery, a cold, or a fever—muscle reconstruction is relatively straightforward. At that time, the muscles can be regenerated quickly with food consumption.
As we age, however, the body loses hormones. Hence, nerve signals also decrease. Hormonal and nerve signals can weaken as early as age 30 or as late as one’s mid-60s, meaning their ability to strengthen the muscles is reduced. The only tool, then, to reconstruct muscle is muscle activity; when the muscles are being exercised, it can initiate repair and reconstruction. Luckily, this mechanism continues to function effectively even in old age, as long as the muscles are kept active.
Aside from needing exercise, the aging human body requires sufficient protein to maintain muscle mass.
In modern health and diet circles, some believe that eating more fresh fruit and vegetables and less meat is healthier. While the more-green diet is acceptable for people younger than 60, it might pose a health risk for anyone older than 60 or anyone in their 80s or 90s who has undergone surgery or severe illness. This is because if the body doesn’t have enough muscle or stored protein, its ability to repair itself deteriorates.
Good Sources of Protein
Here are some excellent sources of protein:- All meat and seafood, such as beef, pork, chicken, horse mackerel, sardines, salmon, and tuna, as well as eggs
- Dairy products, such as milk, goat’s milk, cheese, and yogurt, excluding fresh cream and whipped cream
- Soybean products, such as soy milk, soy yogurt, tofu, and dried tofu
- Legumes, such as lentils, chickpeas, dried beans, and peas
- All nuts and seeds
- Whole grains
Ideal Exercises for Muscle Maintenance
An ideal type of workout to build muscle strength combines aerobics, resistance training, flexibility, and balance.1. Aerobic Exercise
- Incorporate aerobic exercises such as jogging, walking, and swimming.
- Build a workout routine at least three days per week and slowly increase the exercise time.
- The goal is to exercise 30 to 60 minutes daily, slowly increasing the duration by 10-minute intervals.
- The workout should be at least 20 to 30 minutes of high-intensity exercise that makes you sweat and need to catch your breath.
2. Resistance Training
- Resistance workouts include squats, dumbbells, and lifting your legs to stretch your knees while sitting.
- Weight lift at least two days per week.
- Exercise all major muscle groups, including legs, hands, shoulders, chest, abdomen, back, waist, and hips. If possible, you can ask a fitness trainer to guide you in building a safer and more effective routine.
- Do 10 repetitions for each movement. Once comfortable, increase the load or do a few more reps to strengthen your muscles.
3. Flexibility Workout
- Stretch the primary muscle group at least twice per week.
- Choose static stretching, such as pilates or yoga with fixed posture, to maintain muscle elongation for more than 15 seconds instead of dynamic movements.
4. Balance Exercises
- Improve balance by standing on one foot, walking on tiptoe, and doing tai chi.
- Begin with once per week and slowly advance the frequency to daily.
