How to Prevent Aging Muscle as You Get Older

How to Prevent Aging Muscle as You Get Older.

Many people under emphasize the important role that strong, toned muscles playing in enhancing appearance and promoting mobility.

Unfortunately, the aging process takes its toll on muscle mass just as it does with the rest of the body.

Muscle mass and strength generally peak by the mid 30’s and gradually decline from there.

Serious loss of muscle mass doesn’t have to happen with age. By taking simple steps to pamper aging muscle, you can maintain the look of health and vitality well into an advanced age.

Here are some suggestions for helping to maintain muscle mass as you grow older :-

Watch your protein intake.

Even though most Americans consume more protein than is necessary, this isn’t the case with older adults. Many older adults are deficient not only in protein intake but are calorie deprived as well.

Protein is an essential ingredient for maintaining lean body mass. As you age, make sure you’re getting a gram of protein for each kilogram of body weight to help maintain the integrity of aging muscle.

Start a weight training program.

If you don’t do some form of resistance exercise, you lose muscle mass at a rate of about three percent every ten years after the age of fifty. The good news is a weight training program can help to maintain lean body mass and muscle strength.

Any form of resistance exercise should have a positive effect on muscle tissue. If you can’t get to a gym, get some resistance bands to use at home on a daily basis. Don’t forget to add cardiovascular exercise to keep your heart, your most important muscle healthy.

Get your Vitamin D

There’s increasing evidence that vitamin D plays a role in preserving aging muscle. Most people fail to get enough of this important vitamin which may play a role in both bone and muscle preservation. To help prevent vitamin D deficiencies and muscle loss, try to get ten minutes of direct sun exposure each day. If this is impossible, consider taking a vitamin D supplement.

Although 400 milligrams of vitamin D has historically been the recommended dose, new studies are showing it may be wise to take more. Studies suggest that up to 1200 milligrams of vitamin D per day are safe.

Watch your potassium intake

A study published in the March 2008 Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that older people who consume higher levels of potassium are able to better preserve muscle mass than those who don’t.

The recommended daily intake of potassium is 3,500 milligrams per day which can be obtained from eating sufficient quantities of fruits and vegetables. To counteract aging muscle, try adding more fresh fruits and lightly steamed vegetables to your diet.

As you age, you can prevent aging muscle by making a few simple lifestyle changes.

These changes can also help you to achieve an overall higher level of health in your later years.