Seniors who work at it, however, can still make strength gains. “Research shows that, even into your late 80s, your body still has the potential to build muscle mass,” Stacy Schroder, director of wellness at Masonic Village at Elizabethtown, said.
The Bottom Line
Low to moderate-intensity strength training with a protein-rich diet forms the basis for building muscles for those over the age of 70. There are many age-related considerations, such as degeneration of muscles, nerves, joints, and bones, which may limit the intensity of exercises from person to person.
Gaining Muscle Mass by Lifting Weights
Resistance exercise like weight training is one of the best ways of reversing the loss of muscle mass as you age. It benefits both men and women.
Muscle loss in elderly patients can be reversed in most circumstances, and many effective solutions are quite simple. One Japanese study found that seniors who spent six months walking managed to significantly increase muscle mass. Another study suggests people who walk fast are less likely to have sarcopenia.
While there is no way to fully “stop the clock,” it's possible for many older adults to increase muscle strength with exercise, which can help maintain mobility and independence into later life.
But research indicates that protein requirements increase with age. Recommendations for how much protein is enough for older people vary, but current studies suggest that most people over age 65 should take in about 1 g to 1.2 g of protein/kg of body weight per day to both gain and maintain muscle mass and function.
Healthy diet: When paired with regular exercise, eating a healthy diet can also help reverse the effects of sarcopenia. It's especially important to increase your protein intake through food or supplements.
Research has found that weightlifting helps seniors prevent bone and muscle loss. and may even help prevent dementia. The Center for Disease Control recommends that seniors do strength-building exercises at least twice a week in addition to aerobic exercise.
While walking builds some muscle, it isn't the big, bulky muscle mass that comes from spending a lot of time in the gym. Rather, walking creates a leaner muscle tone throughout one's body, particularly in lower muscle groups. Muscles grow after being stressed enough to break down in the first place.
Old and young people build muscle in the same way. But as you age, many of the biological processes that turn exercise into muscle become less effective. This makes it harder for older people to build strength but also makes it that much more important for everyone to continue exercising as they age.
Adults aged 65 and older need: At least 150 minutes a week (for example, 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week) of moderate-intensity activity such as brisk walking. Or they need 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activity such as hiking, jogging, or running.
The aging process compromises muscle cells' ability to repair damage done to them, meaning human bodies lose muscle cells as they age. Seniors who work at it, however, can still make strength gains.
Vitamin D may be protective for muscle loss; a more alkalinogenic diet and diets higher in the anti-oxidant nutrients vitamin C and vitamin E may also prevent muscle loss.
Best Protein for Seniors Recap
Animal-based foods like meat, fish, dairy, and eggs are some of the highest quality foods for protein. However, plant-based foods such as soy, nuts, beans, and nut butter can also provide a significant source of protein as well as provide many other health benefits.
The cause is age-related sarcopenia or sarcopenia with aging. Physically inactive people can lose as much as 3% to 5% of their muscle mass each decade after age 30. Even if you are active, you'll still have some muscle loss. There's no test or specific level of muscle mass that will diagnose sarcopenia.
The long bones of the arms and legs are more brittle because of mineral loss, but they do not change length. This makes the arms and legs look longer when compared with the shortened trunk. The joints become stiffer and less flexible. Fluid in the joints may decrease.
Muscle growth doesn't stop at any age. People of all ages can build muscle and strength. Yes, even 100-year-olds. If you don't strength train the normal aging process takes over and you lose 1-2% of muscle mass per year starting at age 35.
It may be hard to stay motivated when it comes to preventing or reversing muscle atrophy. Mild or moderate activities, such as walking a few steps with assistance or even bathing, may seem exhausting, but these activities are an important part of regaining strength and rebuilding muscle.
This article provides an overview of candidate drugs to treat muscle wasting disease that are available or in development. Drugs highlighted here include ghrelin agonists, selective androgen receptor molecules, megestrol acetate, activin receptor antagonists, espindolol, and fast skeletal muscle troponin inhibitors.
Can muscle atrophy be reversed? Disuse (physiologic) atrophy can sometimes be reversed with exercise and a healthy diet. Your healthcare provider may start you on a program that includes exercises in the pool. Working out in the water can reduce your muscle workload.
Animal-sourced protein is another excellent option, especially for those who need more “complete” proteins. Containing all of the amino acids, protein sourced from meat, eggs, or dairy may be a great way for older adults to get the essential nutrition that they need.