Last Sunday I talked about the importance of POSTURE. I gave you a couple of exercises that help you maintain your posture. Here’s that article if you missed it. Today I want to talk about…
STRENGTH SUPPLEMENTS
First things first…there are a gazillion opinions about supplements in general and strength supplements in particular. You have to filter through the noise because there are many companies who would LOVE to sell you the latest, greatest supplement that surely will keep your muscles strong.
Second, nothing, and I truly mean nothing, replaces resistance training for keeping your body strong. No supplement can do it for you.
Third, I’m all for doing anything I can to keep my body strong and fit for my future. There are two supplements that have been shown over and over again to be difference makers when it comes to increasing muscle mass as we age. The two evil twins of aging:
Sarcopenia = loss of muscle mass
Osteopenia = loss of bone density
are constants in our lives. They sneak up on us because they begin in our 30s, but we don’t notice their effects until twenty years later. The earlier you’re aware of them, the easier it is to get ahead of them.
We’ve all seen elderly people who have become frail. They look and act old, NOT because of their chronological age, but because SARCO and OSTEO have taken over. That’s not going to happen to us!
PROTEIN
Aging bodies process protein less efficiently and need more of it to maintain muscle mass and strength, bone health and other essential physiological functions. According to health expert Judith Graham,
Recent research suggests that older adults who consume more protein are less likely to lose “functioning”: the ability to dress themselves, get out of bed, walk up a flight of stairs and more. In a 2018 study that followed more than 2,900 seniors over 23 years, researchers found that those who ate the most protein were 30 percent less likely to become functionally impaired than those who ate the least amount.
HOW TO INCREASE YOUR PROTEIN
REAL FOOD – Eating real food is first and foremost. As we age, we may lose some of our appetite. If we’re not consuming enough calories our bodies eventually will become frail. But there also may be a tendency to select foods lower in protein. Make sure your diet has plenty of eggs, nuts, lean meats, and fish. For some people, dairy may be an option. For me, I avoid dairy. But you may find you do fine with it.
PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT – Most experts believe it’s very hard to get enough protein from the diet. For me, I’m going to make sure my body has enough protein to stay strong. The general guideline is:
2 grams of protein for every pound of body weight every day.
Here’s an excellent PDF about NUTRITION NEEDS FOR OLDER ADULTS
TYPES OF PROTEIN
Whey protein may be the most common form of supplemental protein. There also are vegan protein powders. For me, I have difficulty digesting most protein powders, with one exception: bone broth protein. I have no problem with it. Here are a couple of options:
ANCIENT NUTRITION (affiliate link) – It’s easy to mix and it tastes pretty decent
DESIGNS FOR HEALTH (affiliate link) – a highly regarded supplement brand
CREATINE
Creatine is one of the most researched supplements ever! It is considered completely safe and it is highly regarded as a valuable supplement for increasing muscle mass. Here’s what MAYO CLINIC says about it.
Here’s the list of benefits:
- Strength, muscle size and performance. Oral creatine use might allow an athlete to do more work during reps or sprints, leading to greater gains in strength, muscle mass and performance. Creatine is often used by athletes involved in high-intensity intermittent activities that require a rapid recovery during training and competition.
- Injury prevention. Oral creatine might reduce the frequency of dehydration, muscle cramping, and injuries to the muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons and nerves.
- Rare creatine-metabolizing syndromes. In children with the certain creatine deficiency syndromes, oral creatine supplements might improve some symptoms.
- Cognition and brain health. Creatine supplementation might improve performance during cognitive tasks, especially in older adults.
- Sarcopenia and bone health. Creatine supplementation might help counteract age-related declines in skeletal muscle and bone mineral density.
- Heart failure. There isn’t enough evidence to recommend use of oral creatine as a heart failure treatment.
- Skin aging. Early research suggests that a cream containing creatine and other ingredients applied to the face every day for six weeks might reduce skin sag and wrinkles in men. Another study suggests that a cream containing creatine and folic acid improves sun damage and reduces wrinkles.
The recommended dosage is 5 grams per day. I mix mine with my bone broth protein. Supplement companies come up with all kinds of crazy creatine formulas. Avoid them! These formulas are designed to separate you from your money. Look for one ingredient: creatine monohydrate. That’s all you need. THIS ONE FROM THORNE (affiliate link) – a very reputable brand – costs $40 and lasts three months.
