Maintain Muscle Mass Into Old Age

If we’re not careful, by retirement, we could lose one-third to one-half of our muscle tissue. This debilitating condition, called sarcopenia – the loss of muscle tissue, a lowering of our metabolic rate lowers and excess body fat accumulation. Sarcopenia is also a condition of weakness, disability, and early death. We either lose it or we lose our quality of life.

Although sarcopenia is mostly seen in physically inactive individuals, it’s can also be present in those who remain active during their lifetime. This suggests that physical inactivity is not the only contributing factor to sarcopenia. Current research is finding that the development of sarcopenia includes many factors, including inactivity, motor-unit remodeling, decreased hormone levels, and decreased protein synthesis.

The bad news: By age 70, most people have at least 20% less muscle tissue that they did at age 30, when muscle mass generally is greatest. After age 30, muscle mass begins to decline slowly at the rate of about 1-2 kilograms per decade. Men and women appear to lose the same percentage of muscle tissue, though men generally carry a higher muscle-to-fat ratio than women.

The good news: Research from the International Longevity Center points to the impact that exercise can have on the risk of sarcopenia. Men and women 60-96 years of age who suffered from loss of body mass and strength, and who did a moderate amount of strength training twice a week had an increase in muscle strength ranging from 113 % to 174% after eight to 12 weeks. Astounding, considering the advanced years of the subjects.

This shows that resistance training generally has a big impact in stopping and even reversing sarcopenia. Research indicates that older adults who have been lifting weights for 15 to 20 years are at least as strong as inactive 20-year-olds. But it’s never too late to start. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends sets of 8-12 repetitions, two to three alternating days per week. Older and frail individuals who are just beginning a strength-training program, should consider starting with lighter weights and fewer repetitions.