As we get older, getting to the gym may not feel like a priority. Responsibilities with work, kids, or aging parents add up. Yet, building and maintaining muscle mass is more important than ever.
Studies show that muscle mass starts to decline at roughly 1-1.5% per year starting at age 30.
“We know that there’s a loss of motor neurons as we get older, and once we lose motor neurons, they’re gone forever,” said Yale New Haven Hospital Exercise Physiologist Matthew Stults-Kolehmainen, PhD, FACSM. “Those motor neurons depend on stimulation just to survive. Individuals who can maintain a very active lifestyle likely stimulate their muscles adequately, saving their motor neurons and therefore sparing their muscle mass from a quick decline.”
Why do we lose muscle as we age?
We naturally tend to slow down with age. People are busier, more fatigued, and it often becomes more difficult to maintain an active lifestyle. In addition, hormonal changes, stress and injuries impact our ability to build strength.
“There’s a critical point of muscle mass loss, strength and power where you’re not even able to sufficiently perform functions of daily life, and that’s what we’re really trying to avoid because that could result in a loss of independence as we age,” Stults-Kolehmainen said.
How to build muscle as we age
However, Stults-Kolehmainen emphasizes that not all is lost once someone hits a certain age. In fact, there are countless people who are physically fit and live a healthy lifestyle well into their golden years.
He recommends all adults try to incorporate resistance training into their routine two to three times a week. A focus on exercises that can improve coordination, agility and balance is also critical because as we get older, loss of those key functions can impact our ability to maintain strength.
If that sounds overwhelming, remember to start small.
“We often tell people to go for a walk, because most people can tolerate and even enjoy this type of activity,” said Stults-Kolehmainen. “But at a certain point, we need to add some more variety to that. I tell my patients to do a walking program for a couple months, get comfortable, develop good habits and at a certain point, start walking faster.”
He recommends a walking pace of 100 steps per minute to start, which would be the equivalent of walking to the beat of “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees. To make it more challenging, try speeding up for a minute or two, slow down, and then go faster again. Doing this initially for 10 cycles is a good start.
Diet also plays a role. Older adults, especially those going through menopause may need to increase their protein intake to properly recover their body from workouts and to maintain muscle mass.
When to seek help
Of course, injuries or pain will keep anyone from exercising. No one should have to suffer in silence.
“If muscle or joint pain is unremitting or it just never lets up, then that’s time to think about seeing a specialist like an orthopedic surgeon. They often attempt conservative treatments first, which can be injections, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and/or physical therapy,” said Stults-Kolehmainen.
Once pain is addressed, patients may be surprised at what they can do.
“What really motivates people is how they feel,” said Stults-Kolehmainen. “So, if we can develop an exercise program that’s enjoyable and meets their preferences, that gives people a spark of good energy, helps improve mood and reinforces exercise habits.”
