The aging process isn’t always kind. No kidding! As we march through our decades, we sometimes slowly or sometimes abruptly realize we could have done more to take care of ourselves. Niggly pains and health problems crop up and suddenly we find medical appointments are part of our social calendar.
This is not meant to throw a wet blanket of woe on ourselves, but to look at a few steps we can take to improve our health no matter what decade. One of these steps is to preserve our physical strength. Yes, muscle strength. Are you remembering back to younger years and how strong you were then? What about now?
Until around the age of 30 our bodies develop and preserve skeletal muscle mass. Starting in our forties muscle loss, called sarcopenia, gradually begins with muscle mass slowly declining approximately 10% every decade. Around 75 years muscle decline accelerates and by 80 years we’ve lost nearly 50% of our muscle. Loss is so gradual we don’t notice it. Our health attention is usually focused on preventing and managing chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Muscle health gets lost in the shuffle of more obvious health problems.
The medical community is taking notice of sarcopenia as a serious medical condition affecting the quality of life especially in the elderly. Until recently measuring and diagnosing sarcopenia has been fuzzy. Now poor hand strength and slow walking speed are considered diagnostic measures and sarcopenia is a reportable medical condition.
Over time sarcopenia leads to frailty with a greater chance of falling, poor balance, poor mobility, ultimately threatens quality of life and leads to an increased risk of being hospitalized with a longer hospital stay.
Forty percent of our body weight is muscle mass working in partnership with our skeleton. Men typically have more muscle than women as do taller people. However, over time even if weight doesn’t change, the percentage of muscle declines while fat tissue may increase.
Muscle also plays a major role in energy metabolism by using blood glucose in partnership with insulin for muscle activity. As muscle is lost, metabolism is reduced. Without muscle, blood glucose doesn’t have enough muscle to take up the available glucose being delivered by insulin. If glucose isn’t utilized, it recycles through the liver and is converted to fatty acids. These fatty acids and dietary fatty acids (fat) instead move into muscle tissue as fatty deposits. Fat deposits reduce insulin sensitivity and that ultimately affects the structure and capacity of the muscle to do work. Muscle mass decreases and so, a vicious cycle begins. Obesity, hormonal changes, and other health conditions, such as diabetes, can accelerate muscle loss.
Protect and Build Muscle
Be sure to get enough Vitamin D3. Taking a Vitamin D3 supplement is the best answer if you’re not getting enough from food or sunshine. Ask your doctor to do a blood test to check your level. Vitamin D3 is involved in muscle building, maintenance, and movement.
A calcium-magnesium supplement is helpful if you aren’t getting enough calcium in your diet. Both minerals help with muscle contraction and support bone structure.
If you are over 70 review your diet to make sure you are getting adequate protein. The recommendation is 1.0-2.0 g protein/kilogram of body weight. Protein helps build muscle.
Establish a habit of resistance exercise which builds muscle by forcing muscles to do work that results in an increase of muscle tissue.
If you have diabetes and weigh too much, both conditions cause muscle loss. Healthy eating and exercise prevent both and you build and maintain muscle.
No matter your age there are steps to take to keep your muscles functioning at potential.
To calculate weight in kilograms, divide weight in pounds by 2.2 (kilograms per pound).
Recipe Tip:
Protein Berry Smoothie
In a blender add 1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries or mixed berries. Add 3/4 cup of 1% or skim milk, 1/4 cup low-fat plain or flavored Greek yogurt, 1 to 2 scoops protein powder. Blend until smooth.
Servings: 1
Protein: 14 g. with 1 scoop protein powder or 21 g. with 2 scoops.
Written by: Mimi Cunningham, Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist, Diabetes Educator
Mimi Cunningham is a dietitian-nutritionist living in Eagle, Idaho. Her nutrition specialty is diabetes education and management. She loves writing about embracing healthy eating as fun plus a route to good health. She serves as a member of the Idaho Foodbank board of directors addressing food insecurity as a challenge to good health for Idaho children and adults.
On behalf of Smart Strategies for Successful Living, our sincerest appreciation goes to Mimi Cunningham for her contribution to our community website and commitment to healthy living and aging.