Due to aging, we lose about 3 kg of muscle in every decade of life. In the process of skeletal muscle aging, there is a slow, gradual loss of their mass and the associated reduction of their functional strength. So everyone should exercise to strengthen the muscles. This is especially true for seniors and those who have less exercise due to illness or injury.

Contents:

  1. How muscles age - muscle loss with age
  2. How muscles age - the effects of lack of exercise
  3. How muscles age - life difficulties
  4. How muscles age - the essence of strength training

Human muscles, due to their structure and functions, can be divided into three groups: heart muscle, smooth muscles (e.g. in internal organs) and skeletal muscles, which are most often subject to mechanical injuries.

The entire human muscular system consists of about 500 muscles (the exact number depends on the classification method). They have the ability to contract actively. Dilation requires contraction of another muscle - the antagonistic one. That's why we have flexors, adductors, extensors, and abductors. Thanks to their cooperation, we can lean and straighten, twist, dance, run, jump … And it is worth using these opportunities to maintain strength and fitness until old age.

The results of the survey "Poles' favorite sports and entertainment activities" conducted in 2022 on a sample of 1,376 respondents show that as many as 66% of respondents do not play sports. Those who already exercise most often do it once a month or less frequently, according to 39% of people. Some people manage to exercise 2 or 3 times a month - 24%. This is definitely not enough for the muscles.

How muscles age - muscle loss with age

In the third decade of life, almost half of you are muscle. They account for 30-40% of body weight in women and 40-50% in men. You can see them clearly outlined under the skin when the body is slim. The deeper ones have an impact on maintaining balance, supporting internal organs, and even the function of the urethra and anal sphincters.

This data is for people who are moderately active. Someone who has spent time on the couch since childhood, does not walk much, does not move - this output potential will be much smaller. And with age, the situation will only worsenat everyone.

Dr. Murtaza Ahmed - GP and sports medicine specialist - in an article on sarcopenia, describes it as follows: “In our youth, we have many more muscles than we need to perform our daily tasks. We only use about 30% of our strength to perform all important activities related to daily activities, such as getting up from a chair or climbing stairs. Maximum muscle strength decreases by 5% every few years, but we remain completely unaware of this fact as we are still able to carry out all our daily activities with ease. The problem begins when the maximum strength begins to drop to about 50% of the strength we had when we were young and suddenly everything that seemed easy so far starts to become troublesome. "

Harder to bend down, get out of the car, run to the bus. Sarcopenia also increases your risk of tipping over. It is no coincidence that falls are the most common cause of hip fractures in the elderly.

How muscles age - the effects of lack of exercise

Those who do not like sports may be convinced by the fact that they influence the level of hormones (e.g. cortisol) and the metabolic rate to take care of their muscles. After just a few weeks without exercise, you can notice the first effects of slow metabolism - fat gain, water retention in the body.

Studies show that after about 5 weeks without physical activity, the increase in body fat may increase by up to a dozen percent! It has nothing to do with your diet, it just reduces your energy expenditure. Fitness will also drop.

After 3 months of inactivity, the endurance of the body will deteriorate by about 20%. This will make us tire faster, catch shortness of breath more often, and the body will start to weaken. This is because regular training (especially cardio training) dilates blood vessels and increases cell efficiency. When we quit exercise, the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes increases significantly.

Now imagine the described effect multiplied by years. There are people for whom physical education lessons at school were their last regular activity.

How muscles age - life difficulties

Many factors affect the deterioration of muscle strength and mass. Fortunately, in most cases, you can start regenerating and strengthening them at any point in your life.

  • Diet deficiencies

The maintenance and development of muscles is supported primarily by the proteins found in meat, fish, dairy products, tofu and legumes. Responsible for the efficient work and reactions of muscles are also, among others, calcium,magnesium, potassium and B vitamins.

  • Injuries

Significant loss of muscle mass can be noticed after 2-3 weeks, e.g. in people using an orthosis, in a cast. The older the person is, the faster the atrophy progresses. Properly selected physiotherapy exercises and physical therapy (e.g. electrostimulation) help to prevent losses and accelerate recovery. Movement rehabilitation is also extremely important for people who are physically disabled or bedridden.

  • Diseases

A single nerve fiber can innervate up to 160 muscle fibers. Therefore, the degeneration of neurons with age makes the muscles less stimulated and weakens. There are also a number of diseases that can speed up this process.

How muscles age - the essence of strength training

In the publication "Aging and human physical performance" (J. Żoładź, J. Majerczak, K. Duda, Wydawnictwo Lekarskie PZWL), experts emphasize that "strength training significantly reduces the rate of loss of muscle mass and strength, even in elderly people. For this reason, it is often recommended not only as part of the rehabilitation of patients, but also to maintain high performance in he althy elderly people. "

However, it should be remembered that strength training in the case of seniors should be used with caution. First, medical examinations should be performed (e.g. densitometry - examination for osteoporosis, heart echo / exercise test).

The training frequency cannot be too high. At least one day of rest is recommended after strength training, so exercise should not be more than 2-3 times a week. According to some researchers, even one such activity a week may already bring benefits.

About the authorJoanna Karwat A journalist specializing in he alth matters. For over 25 years, she has been following trends in medicine and meets doctors to talk about new treatments. She received two distinctions in the "Medical Journalist of the Year 2022" competition in the press journalism category. He spends every free moment playing volleyball. She won gold in the Beach Volleyball Journalists Championship in 2016.

Category:

Geriatrics