At around the age of 25, peak muscle mass and strength usually occurs for most individuals. Give or take a few years, this is the period where strength athletes or even weekend warriors will experience the height of their muscularity, along with their ability to move serious weight.
But, holding on to peak form becomes quite difficult over time since we gradually lose muscle mass as we age. “Between 40 and 70 years of age, muscle mass can decrease by up to 8 percent per decade,” said Dr. Jose Rodolfo Dimaano, medical director of Abbott Nutrition. “After 70 years of age, that rate of loss almost doubles,” he added. Harsh as it may seem, that’s simply how nature works. It can take away all the hard work you put in the gym by simply allowing the hands of time to tick away.
Most of us are well aware of the role of dietary protein in helping us sculpt our ideal bodies. Protein builds muscle, and we want to build muscle so we take adequate amounts of protein alongside a sensible weight training program. Proper nutrition is key in building lean muscle mass.
This same principle holds true for when our bodies begin to age and we wish to preserve muscle mass. We should do this not only for aesthetics, but also to improve our quality of life as we age. Muscle loss can make everyday movements such as getting out of bed; making breakfast and going up and down the stairs feel like a challenge. Something as simple as climbing the stairs can also feel like a strain when a person is experiencing muscle loss.
In aging individuals, the body requires important nutrients to support overall health and muscle strength. People tend to eat less high-quality and protein-rich food as they age and their bodies aren’t able to process nutrients as efficiently. Apart from having a balanced, nutritious diet and doing resistance training exercises, elderly folk would also do well to incorporate into their diets muscle-building nutrients such as protein and HMB.
Dimaano explained that while HMB was formerly marketed as an exercise supplement to help athletes and bodybuilders gain muscle, it is now mainly for people who are elderly and might have Sarcopenia—which is the natural loss of muscle mass due to aging.
“HMB is naturally found in small amounts in some foods and in your body, and levels may decline with age. Very small amounts of HMB are found in foods, such as avocados, catfish and grapefruit. You can also get leucine which has HMB as its active metabolite. We can essentially get leucine from eggs and milk,” he explained.
While whole foods are still the best sources of nourishment for our bodies, at times when it is not possible to obtain the proper macronutrient ratios (protein, carbohydrates and fat) and essential nutrients from our diet, supplementation becomes a good idea. The elderly for instance may have a hard time getting adequate protein from whole food sources given a variety of reasons (such as having difficulty chewing solid food), thus the need for whey protein powder supplements which can easily be mixed with water or milk, and taken in liquid form. The same holds true for HMB supplements—since it is only found in miniscule amounts in foods.
And while protein is often mentioned as responsible for building muscle, let us not forget the importance of the other macronutrients. Carbohydrates provide us with the energy to power through our workout routine. Whether you are young, middle-aged or belong to the bracket of the elderly, you will need carbs for energy. Dietary fat, on the other hand, helps with the absorption of vitamins and nutrients that are fat soluble. For muscle growth, certain types of fat such as omega-3 essential fatty acids help promote muscle protein synthesis. Research has shown that omega-3 fats have an anabolic (muscle-building) effect on older people as well as young, healthy individuals.
We are never too old to build muscle. Perhaps for younger people the motivation would be to look good, perform better in sports or simply stand out at the beach.
For the elderly, having stronger muscles allows for an enhanced quality of life as they are able to go about their daily functions on their own. This gives them a sense of dignity and augurs well for their overall health. After all, when the time comes that we are old and gray, we all deserve to live our final years with pride and dignity. Let’s keep building those muscles until we can.
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