Suit of Armor for Aging

Let’s dive into a topic that's absolutely central to healthy aging and overall vitality: skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscle is the largest organ system in the human body, and it plays a vital role in our health- especially as we age.

Starting around age 30, most people begin to lose muscle mass at a rate of about 3 to 8 percent per decade, and this rate accelerates in our 60s and beyond. In severe cases, cumulative muscle loss can reach up to 50 percent by the time someone is in their 80s or 90s. Age-related muscle loss is so detrimental to health that it's considered a disease state, known as Sarcopenia.

But here's the good news: muscle loss with age is not inevitable. There are actionable, science-supported strategies to build and maintain muscle throughout all stages of life, regardless of your starting point. Given the importance of muscle, think of it as our "suit of armor" for aging- protecting us not just physically, but metabolically, cognitively and even emotionally as well.

Why Muscle Matters

Muscle provides so much more than just “strength”- it’s our foundation for healthy aging. Here’s why:

• Movement: Muscle is what enables us to move our bodies, lift and carry objects, and perform the activities of daily living- whether that’s carrying groceries, picking up your grandchild, or simply getting up off the floor without assistance.

• Stability & Posture: Muscle is essential for supporting and stabilizing the major joints of the body- think about your spine, hips, and shoulders. Maintaining strong, stable muscles is also key for healthy posture. It reduces stress on your connective tissues and helps prevent the kind of joint degeneration that leads to pain and loss of function as we age. 

• Balance & Agility: Building and maintaining strong muscles, along with regular balance and agility training, are among the most effective strategies for mitigating both the risk of falling and the severity of injuries if one does experience a fall.

• Metabolic Health: Muscle is highly metabolically active- meaning it requires energy to maintain, grow, and repair- even when you’re at rest or asleep. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you’ll burn throughout the day. On the flip side, as muscle mass declines, our resting metabolic rate slows down. That’s one of the reasons it becomes increasingly difficult to lose fat as we get older. 

• Improved Cardiovascular Health: Regular strength training can help lower blood pressure and reduce risk factors for heart disease.

• Blood Sugar Regulation: To maintain a healthy level blood sugar level, our body removes excess blood sugar (glucose) by several means. One of them is to convert glucose to its storable form, glycogen, where it is stored within muscle for future energy use. If your muscles can’t store excess glucose (due to low muscle mass and/or insulin resistance) the excess glucose can end up being converted to body fat, leading to obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

• Bone Density: Resistance training is absolutely essential for maintaining bone density as we age. To reduce our risk of fractures and to maintain independence as we age, building muscle is non-negotiable.

• Cognitive Health: Grip strength is a key indicator for the risk of cognitive decline. Those with the weakest grip strength in middle age are at 50% higher risk for dementia later in life compared to those with the strongest grip in middle age.

• Socially Engaged, Independent Living: When older adults become less mobile or require help with basic activities, they often experience a reduction in social interactions, which has been shown to increase the risk of depression and accelerate cognitive decline. By prioritizing muscle health, we can help preserve not only mobility but also cognitive function and emotional well-being as we age.

How to Build Muscle

Muscle matters. But how do we build healthy, strong skeletal muscle? What’s the formula and how do we create a safe and effective training program?

There are many online and app-based strength training resources that demonstrate how to develop a resistance training program and how to properly execute exercises for every muscle group. One that I like and recommend is Muscle & Motion.

In short, however, a straightforward and effective resistance training program for beginners should focus on safety, gradual progression, and targeting all major muscle groups. Here’s a simple formula:

• Warm-Up and Cool-Down: Always start with a 5–10-minute general warm-up (like walking) and a movement specific warm up before each exercise (do the exercise movement slowly with no resistance). Finish with gentle stretching to prevent injury and soreness.

• Exercises: Choose 5–8 basic movements that target major muscle groups, such as squats, abdominal crunches, push-ups (or wall push-ups), rows, bicep curls, and triceps extensions.

• Frequency: 2–3 sessions per week (20-30 minutes each), with at least one day of rest between sessions.

• Gradual, Progressive Resistance: Begin with easy body weight exercises, light weights and/or resistance bands that allow you to complete about 15 repetitions with good form. After the first 2-3 weeks, begin to increase weight/resistance. This gradual approach conditions your joints and connective tissue for a future increase in resistance.

• # of Sets: Start with 1–2 sets per exercise and gradually increase to 3 after the initial 2-to-3-week period.

• Breathe: Exhale on the exertion part of the exercise (like the up motion in a biceps curl), and inhale on the return (to avoid an increase in blood pressure or dizziness from holding your breath).

• Protein-forward Diet: In her book Forever Strong, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon recommends a daily protein intake of approximately 1 gram of protein per pound of ideal body weight. She also advises distributing this protein evenly across meals, with a minimum of 30 grams of high-quality protein at each meal to optimize muscle protein synthesis and support muscle health as you age.

Additional Tips:

• Consult with Your Doctor: Consult a healthcare provider before starting if you have chronic conditions or an acute injury.

• Sit or Stand: Exercises can be performed seated or standing, and routines can be adapted based on ability and mobility.

• Time-Budgeting: Circuit-style training (moving from one exercise to the next with minimal rest) is an effective and time-efficient option. But remember to breathe and rest as needed.

• Rest & Recovery: Muscle grows while we recover. Adequate sleep (7-9 hours per night) is a great way to optimize muscle growth.

• Hydration: Stay hydrated to support muscle function. 2-3 liters per day is a good starting point.

• Balanced Nutrition: Combine protein with a variety of whole foods, especially fruits and vegetables, for best results.

• Consult with the Pros: For more in-depth nutritional planning and guidance, consider working with a Registered Dietician Nutritionist. For fitness program design help, consider consulting with a fitness coach.

Summing it Up…

Muscle is absolutely essential for healthy aging, and it’s never too late to get “Armored”!

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Age Strong, Live Long!