The Biggest Predictor of Independent Living After 50
Author: Dr. Mollie Brennan, Naturopathic Doctor
Lets talk about muscle mass. It’s a thing that is celebrated as a male, but women in our culture a told to be ‘slim’ or ‘toned’ (what does that even mean?) at the risk of losing a valuable health asset.
Keeping and growing muscle mass is important as we age. Surprisingly, a poll of women could not correctly identify the source of protein in their meal. It turns out, to my dismay, peanut butter and quinoa are not protein rich foods! Adequate protein is important because as we age our appetites decrease, we eat less, and most of us move less. This is the perfect storm for something called sarcopenia. Muscle wasting because of metabolism, hormone changes, and lifestyle.
Muscle mass decreases by 1.5% yearly after the age of 50 and by 2.5% yearly after the age of 60.
A 20% reduction in muscle mass results in weakness and an increase risk of falling.
A 30% reduction in muscle mass results in disability, loss of independent living ability, and failure of wound healing.
Things that have been studied to prevent muscle loss are:
Whey protein powder (arguably any protein powder).
Exercise—specifically weight lifting or something with a progressive load. 5 lb dumbbells usually aren’t effective unless you are under the guidance of a rehabilitation professional. I advise seeking support from your physiotherapist and/or a personal trainer. Most people weren’t taught the skill of weight lifting, so having help is okay!
Creatine supplementation.
Eating enough calories with a focus on adequate protein.
If you want to learn how to track your macros or increase your protein intake, book a naturopathic appointment for guidance.
References:
1) Xie WQ, Xiao WF, Tang K, Wu YX, Hu PW, Li YS, Duan Y, Lv S. Caloric restriction: implications for sarcopenia and potential mechanisms. Aging (Albany NY). 2020 Nov 21;12(23):24441-24452
