Why do we lose muscle mass as we age over 50?

We are now hearing about the importance of muscle mass, the need to strength our muscles and spend time doing resistance training. These messages are more concerning if you are over 50 years of age.

You may have heard the saying “use it or lose it” when it comes to exercise. There has never been a truer word spoken.

I’d would like to rewind the clock back to when I was in my 40s, it all started one day with me looking in the mirror at myself and something made me look twice.

Isn’t it funny how you look at yourself every day and tend to take things for granted thinking nothing looks different because you see your image every day when you wake up and either brush your teeth or me having a shave.

Hey, what's happening to my muscles?

One morning something in the back of my mind, I suppose my subconscious mind, alerted me to something looking a little different, it dawned on me that my shoulders seemed to have lost their muscle definition.

“I even had to ask my wife if she noticed that my shoulders were smaller. ‘Cause I thought they were.”

Little did I know my body was losing muscle, I would later find out it actually happens to everyone, and more so if you are very sedentary.

This got me thinking seriously about why this has happened because I have always had a physical job and after searching Google, I learned about muscle loss as we age, it even has a special name called Sarcopenia.

What is Sarcopenia and why does it Matter?

Sarcopenia is a type of muscle atrophy primarily caused by the natural ageing process. Actually, did you know that the human body begins losing muscle gradually in your 30s and continues at a rate of 3 to 5% per decade. Most men will lose about 30% of muscle during their lifetime.

What will happen if muscles become weaker.

I believe it’s true that if you continue to use specific muscle groups to a point where they are conditioned to move and keep strong, and then you stop using these muscles they will begin to lose definition and weaken. This is exactly what happened to me over time. You may have seen photos of body builders who had all those bulking muscles when they where in their prime and then their priorities change and so too does their body.

Weak muscles are also a sign that our metabolism is slowing down, this could be due to the level of inactivity/ poor nutrition/ chronic diseases which then can lead to poor balance and loss of stamina.

o   Ever wondered why you are suddenly out of breath walking up stairs or up a small gradient.

o   Feeling unstable on your feet – try that one leg stand, what about eyes closed.

o   Bit slower getting up from a chair or sofa.

Loss of muscle mass may indicate the onset of chronic diseases but how do you think you got there in the first place: -

o   Lifestyle can be an indicator in the first instance,

o   Then illness, fractures, or operations, can also be another reason.

The human body is a very complex system, that needs constant monitoring for it to function efficiently, it needs a reliable source of fuel (nutrition), physical activity/exercise to maintain a healthy weight and to keep the blood circulating.

We are living longer than our ancestors and you could be looking at an extra 20 or 30 years more so this is not a time to sit down and rest, retirement should be something to be enjoyed so keep fit and maintain a healthy diet.Many people may know of someone who had worked hard for most of their lives only to pass away, not long after retiring, unfortunately I have known a few work colleagues in this situation. Add to these the number of people living with a chronic disease or disability.

Read about strength training at Christchurch Private Gym

Let’s return to the saying “use it or lose it”, which has its origins from neuroplasticity in the brain and I think this it can be used with Sarcopenia. When we begin to learn new facts or learn a new skill, neurons grow and later connect.

If we stop learning or practicing a skill, we soon forget, this is because effectively the neuron that we've started to grow gets reabsorbed into the brain.

Can you reverse the effect of Sarcopenia.

The two photos of the cross-section of muscle taken from a 40 something year-old and a 70 something year-old and it shows how much lean muscle mass has been lost.

Well the good news is yes, you can reverse the effects through lifestyle changes and diet. In much the same way that's changing the brain you need to continually ‘work’ Your muscles to increase their strength and speed of action. This is one of the reasons to regularly connect with an exercise coach.

Fitness is a continual practice but it's a personal practice. Even if you go to a regular class in yoga Pilates or cycling group individual support for your specific muscles needs must be part of an anti-aging plan.

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Can I restore muscle as I age?

The great news is you can build muscle at any age, through weight training men and women can increase muscles as functional as an average 40-year-old with the right approach and the right advice. While the body undergoes changes with age, by incorporating strength training into your routine an improve muscle mass, strength, and your overall quality of life.

Make this year 2025  - “The year of the Snake” your year of Transformation.