Aging affects every part of the body, and muscles are no exception. As much as 45 percent of people living in the United States develop a condition called sarcopenia, which is the natural decline of muscle tissue caused by aging, in their 40s. Living with decreased muscle strength can mean nagging injuries, poor health, reduced mobility and an increased risk of falls. You don’t have to live with muscle loss; you can fight back with exercise. And you don’t have to take up powerlifting to protect your muscle health, either. Learn more about why keeping your muscles strong as you age is so important and how to do it.
What Causes Age-Related Muscle Loss?
Age-related loss of muscle tissue is often related to hormonal changes that occur as you age. Another cause of sarcopenia is poor diet. Many people also develop muscle loss as a result of living a sedentary lifestyle. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that healthy adults who were inactive as part of the study lost 2 percent of their leg muscle mass in just four weeks. Another study of the effects of sedentary living on muscle mass showed that healthy elderly patients lost up to 10 percent of their leg muscle mass in only 10 days.
How Can You Combat Age-Related Muscle Loss?
Eat a Healthy Diet and Include More Protein. Your body needs nutrients to sustain your muscle tissue strength. Eat a healthy diet of vegetables, whole grains and protein (lean meats, chicken, fish, eggs, and nuts) to keep your tissues healthy and strong. More protein is essential because your body needs more of it to maintain the muscle you currently have. Also, increase your vitamin D intake to keep both your muscles and bones strong.
Get Moving. It is essential to stay active as you age to keep your muscle tissue healthy. Adding aerobic exercise helps to keep your muscles in shape by increasing blood and oxygen flow. Consider cycling, walking or swimming for a low-impact workout. And of course, get cleared by your doctor before beginning an exercise regimen.
Lift Weights. Lifting weights helps to improve muscle strength by creating tiny tears in your existing muscles. While that may sound counterproductive, it actually isn’t. When small tears develop in your muscle tissue, it is a signal to your body to create new muscle tissue. You have to break down your existing muscle to build it back up. You will also notice increased strength.
If you have noticed a decrease in your muscle strength, we hope you see improvements with these suggestions. Are you living with a nagging muscle injury that just will not heal and it is impacting your quality of life? Call Innovations Stem Cell at 214-643-8665 to learn more about how fat stem cell therapy can help your situation. Innovations Medical provides stem cell therapy procedures at both Dallas and Fort Worth practice locations.