How to Stay Fit for Life – Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola
It is rarely too late to start resistance training; you can build muscle mass well after age 60. In 2022, I set a new personal record in the leg press for 600 pounds, far better than the 400-pound deadlift I did the year before.
Sarcopenia — age-related muscle loss — threatens a healthy lifespan. Skeletal muscle not only manages physical activity, but also plays a major role in metabolism, circulation and cognition.
Skeletal muscle acts as endocrine organ secreting myokines and transcription factors into the bloodstream, thereby regulating the function of other organs. It also has immune regulatory properties.
The loss of muscle mass is thought to be a primary driver of insulin resistance in older adults. Declining muscle strength and reduced physical activity also contribute to metabolic dysfunction.
In order to gain muscle mass though one needs a critical to eat enough protein. A minimum is about 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight (0.54 grams/pound) per day. Athletes and the elderly could probably benefit from going up from that level to about 1.6 grams/kilogram (0.71 grams/pound).
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