When a person ages, bone health and muscle strength could be quite difficult to maintain. If you fail to exercise regularly, your muscles could reduce in size resulting to decreased strength and an increased risk of falls and eventual fractures.
If you want to live a long, active, and healthy life, there are two major components you should never overlook – sufficient protein in your diet and strength training exercises.
Protein is very important for muscle growth and its maintenance – more so for seniors as your body is less able to use dietary protein to build muscle. However, there are certain drawbacks when you consume too much protein. The key is to get high-quality protein and in the proper amount, too. Balance is important here as in any other aspect of your life.
Strength Training can greatly counteract muscle wasting that is connected to aging. It also strengthens bones. In addition, if you increase the intensity of your resistance training, there are some benefits you can achieve on chemical, molecular, hormonal, and enzymatic levels in your body. That means you can slow down most diseases that are caused by a sedentary lifestyle by simply intensifying your resistance training.
Should You Double Your Intake?
Based on recent research, the dietary guidelines on the intake of protein may be too low for the health of those who are over 60 (about 62g of protein/day for 170 lbs.). Science Daily notes that for older adults, 93g of protein per day for 170-pound person is necessary to maximize protein synthesis. That means a person over the age of 50 needs a substantially higher amount of protein than what is suggested in the current recommended dietary allowance.
Caution: Too Much Is Bad for Your Health
While your body requires protein, eating too much could be detrimental to your health, too. For one, eating more than what your body needs places much more stress on the kidneys and liver. If the protein contains artery clogging fat then you are more predisposed to cardiovascular heart disease. Excessive protein may also have an effect on a biochemical pathways which may pre-dispose one to certain cancers. Reducing your protein to just what your body really needs minimizes the possibility of cancer growth.
It is very important to consume enough protein (ENOUGH being the key word here) for you to maintain muscle mass. But it does not work like magic. Your body still needs strength training for it to actually build muscle.
Resistance Training is Important
For healthy aging, resistance or strength training not only counteracts age-related muscle loss, but also helps fight osteoporosis. Resistance training stimulates your bone building cells. It also promotes your body’s production of growth factors.
Some examples of strength training exercises are yoga and resistance training using elastics or free weights. It is advised to do muscle strengthening activities that target major muscle groups at least two or three times week.
Remember, you are never too old to start exercising and caring for your health! If you need a little help or you are unsure what would work best for you, contact Sloan Natural Health Center. We can assess your overall health and tailor a program that would fit you perfectly.
