Sarcopenia, the muscular equivalent of osteoporosis, is age-related muscle deterioration. It starts when you turn 40 and causes a decline of about 1% per year. At 50, it picks up speed, so unless you started off with a fair amount of muscle mass, you could see up to 50% muscle loss by the time you’re 75, really! However, there is good news: you can prevent muscle wasting if you start right now, today.
1) Move it or lose it! Stretch and exercise!
Don’t just sit there – move it, bend it, lift it or handle it. During TV commercials, do squats to strengthen your hamstrings and quads. Keep a set of light weight dumbbells or resistance bands next to your office chair and do a couple of arm reps every hour. If you don’t know how to get started, hire a personal trainer (one who has experience working with ‘mature’ adults!) for an hour to set up a personalized lifting routine for you. “Without a doubt, resistance exercise is the most powerful intervention to address muscle loss,” says Nathan K. LeBrasseur, Ph.D., of the Mayo Clinic Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Exercise increases strength, aerobic capacity, and muscle protein synthesis and should be your first line of defense in curbing sarcopenia.
2) Eat quality protein!
Protein repairs and rebuilds muscle fiber. Not sure how much protein you should consume in a day? Take your body weight in pounds, divide it in half and subtract 10. If you weigh 150 pounds, that would be 65 grams of protein per day, more or less evenly distributed in your meals and snacks. (Note that if you have kidney problems, check with your doctor first.) The type of protein you eat also counts. The best sources are grass-fed beef, whey protein, lentils, wild-caught fish like salmon and tuna, and organic chicken.
3) Increase your omega-3 intake!
In a nutshell, omega-3 fatty acids influence muscle protein metabolism and mitochondrial physiology in human aging. The aim of a 2011 study was to assess the effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on the rate of muscle protein synthesis in older adults. The results showed that dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation increased the rate of muscle protein synthesis in older adults, so buy those omega-3-enriched eggs and add some flaxseed and fish oils to your meals. Omega 3 Essential Oils
4) Follow a Mediterranean-style diet!
Decrease your intake of inflammatory foods, such as high-fructose corn syrup, trans fats, and processed foods, and increase your intake of green leafy vegetables, berries, monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, walnuts, and salmon. Eliminate simple sugars and increase complex carbohydrates. In other words, eat foods as close to their natural state as possible. An easy way to achieve this is to shop in the outer aisles of your supermarket – that’s where the good stuff lives!
5) Watch your drink and stop smoking!
Alcohol can weaken muscles if consumed in excess. However, some of the healthiest people in the world consume red wine daily with no ill effects. Today, the general rule of thumb is to limit yourself to two alcoholic drinks per day if you’re a man and one if you’re a woman. As for smoking, you’ve heard all the reasons why you shouldn’t, so just don’t. We are amazed that there are still people who continue to burn their money while inhaling it!
In short, do your stretches, resistance exercises, and eat well, and your muscle deterioration should be minimal.