Many individuals continue to demonstrate remarkable strength and stamina even into their 70s and 80s. What's their secret? Well, you don't need to lift massive weights or run marathons to retain strength as you age. What you need is a resistance training program, a diet that will help you retain muscle mass, and consistency. Studies have shown that keeping muscle mass as we get older is vital, benefiting not just our physical health but also our overall well-being.

Shrinking Muscles: The Sarcopenia Saga

As we age, it's normal to experience a decrease in muscle mass, strength, and function, known as sarcopenia. This process can start as early as your 30s and continues at a rate of 3% to 5% per decade. It can lead to weakness, fatigue, and difficulty with daily activities such as standing, walking, and climbing stairs. Without strength training, people can lose up to 30% of their muscle mass between the ages of 50 and 70! After 70, the rate of muscle loss accelerates further, increasing the risk of osteoporosis, falls, and injuries. For added support, bone health supplements may complement an active lifestyle in maintaining bone strength as men age.

Muscles are so important to health that some experts consider the muscle system an organ. You see, muscles release myokines, which are signaling molecules that communicate with other organs in your body. This interaction helps regulate metabolism, reduce inflammation, and support immune function. It's easy to see that retaining muscle mass can have positive effects far beyond just strength.

In a manner of speaking, survivability is determined by muscle health. The good news is that you can slow down muscle loss, and it doesn't take superhuman effort or going to the gym 7 days a week.

3 Ways to Power Up Your Muscles

There are 3 important facets of any program to retain or build muscle as you age: progressive resistance training, consistency, and eating to build or retain muscle mass.

According to gerontologist Dr. Gabrielle Lyon on the Doctor's Farmacy podcast, "When we think about skeletal muscle, it's really important for exercise [and] performance—that's all the obvious. But where muscle really excels, is its metabolic [role]. It is our metabolic currency. It cannot be bought or sold it must be earned. You have direct input into the health and function of skeletal muscle."

Don't Resist Resistance Training

Researchers have been studying the effects of strength training for more than 40 years and have identified multiple ways it can benefit older adults. These benefits include maintaining muscle mass, improving mobility, and increasing the healthy years of life. Strength training not only helps maintain muscle mass, but it also supports overall health. It can improve balance and energy levels, making daily activities easier and more enjoyable.

Progressive Resistance Training (PRT) is the most effective way to maintain muscle mass, stimulate muscle growth, and help reverse muscle losses as you age. This involves gradually increasing the weight, repetitions, and sets of exercises as your strength improves. All resistance training involves exercises that require muscles to contract against resistance, such as weightlifting, using bands, or performing body weight-bearing exercises like pushups and