Stopping sarcopenia

DEAR JIM:  You mentioned in a previous column that weight training might be good for the heart  and even for the bones and other things , but what about my muscles?  I am only 53, but I feel like my muscles have shriveled up over the years.   I’m definitely not as strong as I used to be, but everyone tells me that I should just accept that I’m getting older because you can’t build muscles after a certain age.  What do you think?  FEELING WIMPY IN WEBSTER CITY

DEAR WIMPY:  I think “everyone” is all wet, and so do the experts.  A report , titled “Influence of Resistance Exercise on Lean Body Mass in Aging Adults: A Meta-Analysis,” published just this month in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise , the scientific journal of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), shows some compelling evidence that older adults can benefit from weight training to prevent muscle loss. 

Many older adults experience a condition known as sarcopenia - an age-related deterioration of the muscles.  Strength training (using weights or other resistance equipment) can help to delay or offset the sarcopenia and allow older adults to maintain their mobility and independence.  Even the very old can increase their strength and muscle function with strength training. 

Sarcopenia is fast becoming a major health problem for older adult as they become increasingly frail and lose their ability to function independently.  Sarcopenia can also lead to other health issues such as poor balance, gait speed, falls, and fractures

The study to which I am referring was done by a University of Michigan research team used a compilation of 49 different studies indicating that, after approximately 20 weeks, older adults gain an average of 2.42 pounds of lean body mass – mostly muscle.  Previous studies had shown that sedentary adults over the age of 50 lost an average of .4 pounds of muscle every year. 

“The findings of this analysis are significant, given the millions of U.S. adults affected by sarcopenia,”says Mark Peterson, lead author of the study. “Because we have identified a robust link between resistance exercise and lean body mass, future generations of seniors who incorporate this modality may be less affected by age-related muscle loss and better able to preserve independence and quality of life.”

Researchers suggest that the earlier in life a person begins strength training, the more beneficial it can be and that progressively increasing both the amount of resistance or weight and the number of sets and repetitions will improve long-term muscle function. 

More than 5,000 participants – a significantly large number - were screened for this research project. The average participant was at least 50 years old and participated in supervised, total-body resistance training programs for at least eight weeks.

So, stop listening to all of the naysayers and start pumping some iron!  It will change your life in so many positive ways that you will wonder why you didn’t  start sooner.