Benefits of Exercise - Muscle Mass

Photo by Aan Nizal Unsplash

Last week, we looked at how our bones will decrease in strength and density as we age. This week, we look at the other side of that coin; muscle loss. Once again, we will take a look at one of those $.50 words that are used to describe this process; sarcopenia. This word is literally translated as 'loss of muscle' which occurs over time as we age.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), the average person loses 30-50% of their muscle mass between the ages of 40-80. They go on to claim that this process is exacerbated by a lack of activity, which makes sense as we delve into this.

Just like we saw last time when we looked at why the bones decrease in density as we age if there is not regular, heavy load placed on them, the same is true for our muscles. Recall from your high school biology class, that the cells in our bodies are constantly being broken down, discarded and, if necessary, replaced. Don't miss that "if necessary" part, though.

More than perhaps any other tissue in the body, muscle is the most "expensive." In other words, it takes more energy and metabolic resources to maintain a level of muscle mass than just about any other tissue in the body. It takes a good deal of energy to break down proteins into amino acids and then use those to build muscle tissue. That is why muscles will shrink (atrophy) when they are not used.

It is not uncommon for people to become less active as they age. Energy levels decline. Aging bodies have more aches and pains. These and other reasons begin to take their toll and eventually result in people becoming more sedentary as they get older. This becomes a self-generating cycle as a lack of activity leads to a decrease in muscle mass, then the decreased muscle mass leaves us weaker and less active, which then results in further decrease in muscle mass. And the wheel continues to turn until we need help getting off the toilet.

The good news is, there is no age at which the bodies ability to adapt and attempt to maintain homeostasis (remember that word from last time?) fails to work. Sure, it works a bit more slowly, but it still works. By regular resistance training, we can prevent the body's perceived lack of necessity to maintain muscle mass and even stimulate muscle growth. Now, if you're in your 70's, chances are you are not going to look like Mr. Olympia no matter how hard or long you train. But you can gain some amount of muscle no matter your age.

This principle remains true for muscle as much as for bones or the money example we gave last time...it's always best to start when you are younger, but starting now is the next best thing. If you have been sedentary for quite some time, you may need to start with some movements that seem like they would have almost no effect at all and gradually build your body back up to the point where you can eventually do things like the standard, old-fashioned push-up. 

The other benefit here is, not only does this training increase your bone density and muscle mass, but having stronger bones and muscles will help you not only be less susceptible to injury, it will help improve your balance, which means that every day tasks like walking or taking stairs are less prone to falls so that your stronger bones won't need to be tested for their resilience. Not to mention, it's a lot less embarrassing to not fall down.

Get in touch with me at https://danielcarrington.issacertifiedtrainer.com/ and I will help get you back onto a path of feeling younger and stronger, more secure, more independent. If you're not at that age yet, I can help give you the tools you need to prevent these types of scenarios and live a long and fruitful life as you journey through the years. 

With some hard work and dedication, you can improve your lifestyle and live a more vigorous and independent life...and you deserve it!