Feb
2
By Richard Major, RHN, TA, ISSA Personal Trainer for Seniors
In the past few decades, scientists have found that seniors can stand tall and strong even once a condition known as sarcopenia has set in. Sarcopenia isthe loss of muscle mass and co-ordination due to the aging process. It appears in the form of stooped posture, muscle weakness and slow, unsteady movements. In the past, scientists assumed that nothing could be done about muscle wasting as we age; however, this has now been found to be incorrect.
Sarcopenia is generally attributed to three main factors: 1) motor unit restructuring; 2) protein deficiency; and 3) changes in hormone levels. While each of these factors are distinct, they actually combine to produce the loss of muscle co-ordination and muscle mass that we call sarcopenia.
People who lead a sedentary lifestyle are most likely to experience pronounced muscle wasting as they age. Sitting for most of your day is a likely way to ensure serious loss of muscle mass later in life. You should be sitting for no more than three hours per day (see last month’s column for more information about the hazards of prolonged sitting).
Physiologists have found that sarcopenia has a common cure: resistance (strength) training. For years, doctors have recommended 30 minutes of moderate daily exercise, and in most cases, suggestions included exercises such as walking and jogging. This type of activity is excellent for the heart and lungs, and it does build some muscle, but the use of weights to build muscle is often overlooked. With the results of studies since the late 1990s, resistance training has been used as a tool against sarcopenia, and is encouraged over aerobic exercising. After all, you can’t run without being able to walk and you can’t walk without being able to stand and you can’t stand if you have minimal muscular strength.
Adopting a resistance-training program early on has proven to reduce the appearance of sarcopenia later in life, and resistance-training programs undertaken by the elderly have been shown to actually reverse sarcopenia because of an increase in muscle mass and overall strength. Increasing protein intake also helps build muscle. Older adults need 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. The combination of increasing protein consumption and implementing a strength-training program could lead to a healthier senior adult population in which the signs of aging aren’t so apparent.
In a recent study, elderly people aged 78 to 84 who went on a 12-week resistance-training program experienced an average increase in protein development of 182 per cent. Another study showed that elderly participants who did resistance training for 45 minutes three times a week for 12 weeks saw an average increase of 32 per cent for muscle fibre and a 30 per cent increase in strength.
If you are interested in starting an exercise program and you are elderly, you’re making a great decision, but be sure to speak with a physician, certified personal trainer and/or physical therapist before beginning a resistance-training program. Elderly people do not need to live out their days stooped over. Make the change. Take the next step and take back your strength!