What Causes Muscle Loss with Age?
Scientists at Columbia University Medical Center discovered that as muscles age, calcium channels inside the muscle cells begin to leak calcium. This leakage of calcium leads to a series of changes that makes it more difficult for the muscles to contract. Leakage from the same calcium channels is also seen in muscular dystrophy, a disease that causes profound muscle weakness.
What causes muscle calcium channels to leak in the first place? It’s free radicals at work. As more free radicals are produced with age, they damage muscle calcium channels and cause them to leak. This leakage not only damages the muscle, but it also poisons the mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell that produces ATP for cellular energy. This causes even more calcium leakage, setting up a vicious cycle that makes it more difficult for muscles to contract.
There is some good news. Researchers have also developed a drug that stops this process in mice. When older mice took this experimental drug, their strength improved by 50%. Still, this drug to fix damaged calcium channels is still a long way from reaching the market.
Another Way to Prevent Sarcopenia
Fortunately, there’s another way to help maintain muscle mass as you age. Hit the weight room. Research shows that even elderly people can boost their strength and muscle function through resistance training. At the current time, it’s the most effective way to slow down the loss of muscle tissue.
Since free radicals play a role in the loss of muscle strength by damaging calcium channels, eating an antioxidant-rich diet could also keep muscles healthier. When you eat lean protein after working out at the gym, add some brightly-colored fruits and vegetables to your meal to get more antioxidants.
Could there be a cure for loss of muscle mass with aging on the horizon? It sounds promising. Until then build lean body mass by strength training, and eating a diet rich in antioxidants. It’s good for your muscles and your overall health.
References:
Science Daily. “Study Explains Why Muscles Weaken with Age and Points to Possible Therapy”
J. Appl. Phys. 95(4): 1717-27.
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Good article! I am 54 years old and I have been working out since I was 30, aerobics and weight training. The only noticable decline in my routine is in my aerobic intensity. It is harder to get to the same intensity that I had in my 30’s. What’s interesting, is I still lift as heavy as I did in my 30’s up to 20lb dumbells. All in all, I see very minimal decline and plan to keep up with my regimen as long as I can ‘God willing”!
Finally, a scientific explanation for why we lose muscle mass as we age. It’s also good that we know what to do about it: weight training and eating whole foods. Thank you, Cathe!
I have been lifting weights and doing aerobic training since I was…about 28, I am 54 now. I only notice that the high impact excericises bother my knees, so I keep it on the down low (so to speak). As a matter of fact I started teaching boby works(light weight high rep’s) in my gym last Feb. I love it! Cathe thanks for all your inspiration and techniques and I cant wait to get the new Low impact programs.
Thanks for all your hard work and dedication
Very good article.