Muscle and strength are known predictors of physical function, metabolism, and overall health for aging adults. But a critical problem for many older individuals is the significant loss of muscle mass that frequently accompanies attempted weight loss that can offset the benefits of reducing body fat. Finding a way to keep muscle while losing body fat is a primary goal during the aging process.
Combining moderate resistance exercise with a higher protein intake, particularly from whey protein, can minimize the muscle-wasting effects of aging and increase overall quality of life.
Sleep is so much more than an indulgence. Sleep is an effective tool to help you recover after a long workout. Here’s why:
* Sleep is important for optimal recovery. Consistently missing just one hour of sleep can alter insulin sensitivity, body weight, and other important hormones that help your body recover.
* Sleep helps you maintain an optimal body composition. Not getting a good night’s sleep can reduce the amount of fat you burn in a day .
A restful night’s sleep supports healthy aging, immune function, and cardiovascular and brain health.
Researchers have long agreed that most of us don’t get enough physical activity. But even exercising a few times per week may not be high enough to make an impact on telomeres as a biomarker of aging.
A new study from Brigham Young University led by exercise scientist Larry Tucker, Ph.D., evaluated to what extent exercise affects telomere length as a measure of biological age. He estimated that those who regularly perform high-intensity exercise at least five times a week could be up to nine years younger on a cellular scale compared to those who don’t exercise at all.
Telomeres, protective endcaps on the ends of chromosomes, are significantly correlated with biological age. Each time a cell replicates, which happens millions and millions of times during our lifetime, a tiny piece of the endcap is lost. This loss translates to shorter telomeres as we age.
Dr. Tucker analyzed data from 5,823 adults who participated in NHANES, a multiyear study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Participants provided DNA samples for telomere length measurements and answered questions on what types of physical activities they had participated in over the last 30 days. They also provided information on the duration of the exercise and level of intensity.
In the study, running, cycling, and playing basketball were classified as “high intensity” or “vigorous” exercises. Brisk walks, swimming, and household activities such as gardening were classified as “low to moderate” exercise. “Sedentary activities” were those such as watching television, computer work, and time in the car.
The participants who reported high levels of physical activity, equal to running 30-40 minutes at least five days per week, had longer telomeres as compared to those who were sedentary and moderately active. This translated to a nine- and seven-year difference in biological aging.
Nearly everyone needs more fiber.
Only about 5 percent of adults meet the recommended amount of dietary fiber in a typical day. The Institute of Medicine recommends at least 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men, but the average adult consumes just 16 grams daily. This means that 95 percent of people are missing out on the potential health benefits of getting the minimum recommended amount of fiber.
Even if you regularly eat healthful foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, you might still be missing the goal. These foods often have a lot less fiber per serving than you might expect. For example, a medium apple contains about 3 grams of fiber, which means a woman would need the equivalent of about nine apples to reach the recommended amount of fiber in a day.
Scientists have long known that age-related loss of muscle tissue can be slowed through a number of nutritional strategies. These include consuming an adequate amount of protein per meal and using high-quality protein with readily available essential amino acids.
An essential amino acid of particular importance is leucine due to its role in stimulation of muscle protein synthesis. Whey protein, naturally rich in leucine, has also been shown to stimulate muscle protein synthesis (the growth of new muscle) when consumed at 25-30 grams during a meal.
Another nutritional strategy for maintaining muscle in older adults is supplementation with vitamin D. It’s common for older adults to have a low status of the vitamin, which plays an important role in muscle protein metabolism.
