Ready to hear something surprising (and pretty depressing)? According to scientific research, the body starts to lose muscle as early as our 30s, with a gradual decline of between 3 and 8% per decade. In our 60s, muscle loss accelerates even more to an estimated 3% loss per year. It’s part of why the risk of falling and disability increases with age.Dr. Tracy Ellen Lippard, MD,an internal medicine doctor with Kaiser Permanente, says that muscle strength declines even more quickly than muscle mass. “As we get older, not only do we accumulate more fat within our muscles, but our muscles are made up of more slow-contracting muscle fibers and fewer fast-contracting muscle fibers. This results in less strength and slower speeds as we get older,” she explains.Dr. Geny Augustine, MD, a family medicine doctor with Solace Health, adds to this, explaining that the decline in both muscle and strength makes the body more fragile. “Many people over 60 notice everyday tasks—carrying groceries, climbing stairs or getting up from a bed or chair—feel harder than they used to. It can feel sudden, but what’s happening is often a slow, quiet process that’s been secretly unfolding for years,” says Maricel K. Rocha, CHC, a certified health coach.There’s one habit in particular that can accelerate muscle loss after 60. Keep reading to find out what it is and what to do instead.Related: This 1 Common Health Habit May Actually Accelerate Aging, According to a Longevity Doctor and RD
RgStudio/Getty Images
All three experts explain that one common habit that can speed up muscle loss is spending the majority of the day sitting or being sedentary. “Muscles operate on a ‘use it or lose it’ principle, and just a few weeks of inactivity can cause older adults to lose considerable muscle strength,” Dr. Augustine says. She adds that this can happen faster than you may realize too, telling Parade, “I see patients often lose a lot of [muscle] function after even just a short hospital stay or period sitting at home."
Related: The One Bread—Yes Bread—Registered Dietitians Want Women Over 50 To Eat More Of
Dr. Lippard agrees that the “use it or lose it” principle definitely applies to muscle strength. “A sedentary lifestyle absolutely accelerates muscle loss, increasing the risk of functional decline, which is the inability to do the things we need to do in normal day-to-day activities,” she says.
When muscles aren’t used regularly and become weaker, Dr. Lippard says that it threatens the ability to live independently and engage in everyday activities with ease, explaining, “One of the things that my patients tell me matters most to them as they get older is staying as independent as possible for as long as possible. Staying strong allows people to get on the floor to play with their grandchildren—and have no trouble getting back up again."
Related: Here's Why Healthy Aging Experts Swear by This One Longevity Lunch
Rocha explains that when we spend most of the day sitting, our muscles stop getting the message that they’re needed. “Blood flow decreases, muscle-building signals quiet down and muscle tissue is gradually broken down,” she reveals. This is why it’s so important to regularly engage your muscles; it reminds them that they’re needed!
How To Get Stronger After 60
What’s clear is that if you don’t actively make an effort to preserve your muscle mass and strength, you’ll lose it. So what does that look like? All three experts advocate for regular strength training as well as eating enough protein. A good goal to aim for is making protein between 10 and 35% of your daily calorie intake. That means if you weigh 180 pounds, you should aim to consume 18 and 63 grams of protein a day.
“A combination of exercise, especially resistance training and adequate protein intake is the best strategy for slowing down age-related muscle changes, with strong evidence supporting improvements in muscle mass, strength and physical function,” Dr. Lippard says.
?SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week?
When it comes to exercise, she emphasizes that consistency is key. Remember: “Use it or lose it!” With that in mind, she recommends thinking about what you find enjoyable. Is it going to a strength training class regularly at your local gym? Devoting time in the morning to it as a way to start the day? Think about what works best for you based on your personal interests and schedule.
In general, Rocha recommends strength training at least three times a week to preserve or increase muscle strength. She adds that muscle strength can be activated by activities such as doing sit-to-stands from a chair, lifting household items such as laundry baskets and wearing a weighted vest while doing chores. “These small bouts of movement—often called 'movement snacks'—send repeated signals to the body to hold onto muscle,” she says.
When you start strength training regularly, Rocha says that in addition to preserving muscle mass, you’ll also likely have better blood sugar balance, bone strength and even better immunity. Dr. Augustine echoes this, explaining, “Muscle is the gatekeeper of blood sugar and metabolic health, and is one of the best ‘insurance policies’ for aging well.”
“Aging doesn’t steal muscle—inactivity does,” Rocha tells Parade. With that in mind, get moving. Your muscles depend on it!
Up Next:
Related: This Often-Ignored Muscle Could Be the Key to Better Posture and Core Strength
Sources:
Dr. Tracy Ellen Lippard, MD,internal medicine doctor with Kaiser PermanenteDr. Geny Augustine, MD, family medicine doctor with Solace HealthMaricel K. Rocha, CHC, certified health coach with a master’s degree in biotechnologyDistefano G. and Goodpaster B.H. (2018). Effects of Exercise and Aging on Skeletal Muscle.Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine. 8(3):a029785.Grgic J. (2022). Use It or Lose It? A Meta-Analysis on the Effects of Resistance Training Cessation (Detraining) on Muscle Size in Older Adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 19(21):14048Hence then, the article about the surprising habit that speeds up muscle loss after 60 was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( The Surprising Habit That Speeds up Muscle Loss After 60 )
Also on site :
- 11 Colorado schools receive threats, several on lockdown
- Jason and Travis Kelce’s ‘New Heights’ Launches Retail Hub (Exclusive)
- US Visa Processing Frozen By Trump Administration in 75 Countries