Forget about the promises of anti-ageing creams and magic potions. The real secret to defying age is something much more potent and effective: your muscles. Discover how building and maintaining muscle mass can be your ticket to a vibrant, energetic, and healthy life. From turbocharging your metabolism to boosting brain health and extending your lifespan, learn why muscles are your best bet against the ageing process. Intrigued? Keep reading to uncover more.
The importance of muscles in anti-aging
Countless studies have underscored the significance of preserving muscle mass as we age. A decline in muscle mass can significantly impair our physical function, potentially limiting our ability to perform daily tasks and maintain an active lifestyle.
After the age of 30, we generally lose 3 to 8% of our muscle mass with each passing decade. In women, muscle loss can accelerate during perimenopause, with up to 10% of muscle mass lost during this transition. This can lead to increased insulin resistance and bone loss, raise the risk of fractures, and contribute to chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
By performing activities that surpass routine daily movements, like resistance training, we don't just build our muscles but also place increased mechanical stress on our bones; this, in turn, activates osteoblasts (cells vital for bone growth), leading to an increase in bone mass.
Research published in The Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, which included 173 participants aged 35 to 50, found that 26% of the women and 28% of the men were diagnosed with osteopenia or had low bone mineral density.
That's why it's crucial to start building our muscle mass by that time to stay ahead of the natural decline in bone and muscle mass.
Like your muscles, your bones are living tissues that get stronger when you put them under stress. Activities like lifting weights, plyometrics, or any other exercise that involves impact or resistance encourage your body to build more bone tissue.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends getting at least 30 minutes of weight-bearing aerobic activity three to five times a week and resistance training two to three times a week. Exercises that move you in different directions, like tennis or jumping, are perfect for building strong bones.
It's important to remember that building muscles and strong bones is not just about exercise. Proper nutrition is a key factor. Ensuring you get enough calories provides your body with the energy it needs for an effective workout, leading to the desired adaptations in muscles and bones.
While losing muscle is often part of ageing, it's not set in stone. By maintaining an active lifestyle, eating well, and making smart choices every day, you can slow or even reverse the decrease in bone and muscle mass.
Muscles: The key to a faster metabolism
Exercise is vital in managing weight and overall metabolic health. It influences how our body uses and processes energy, which is particularly helpful for people with chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes.
Increased insulin resistance is associated with the loss of skeletal muscle mass, and it is a known precursor to diabetes.
Contrary to popular belief, weight management isn't just about diet and cardio. Resistance training, for example, can play a significant role. The muscle mass you gain with proper training and nutrition can help your metabolism.
The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn at rest because muscles use more energy than fat, even when you're at rest. Glucose is essential fuel for our muscles, especially during exercise.
When you exercise, your muscles use a special transporter called GLUT4 to pull glucose from your blood, reducing your reliance on insulin. This is a key reason why regular exercise is so beneficial- it helps your muscles absorb glucose more efficiently and improves how your body uses insulin and stores energy. This helps keep your blood sugar levels more stable because muscle cells are better at absorbing and using glucose.
There you have it, a non-pharmacological approach to managing and potentially mitigating the effects of chronic metabolic conditions.
The impact of lifestyle choices on muscle mass
We can't just blame hormones and ageing for muscle loss. Research on high-level recreational athletes has shown that muscle mass and strength don't significantly decline with age if regular exercise is maintained. This means that the muscle health issues in sedentary older adults are likely due to inactivity, not ageing.
Engaging in sedentary habits, such as prolonged sitting and a lack of physical activity, can accelerate muscle loss. Furthermore, inadequate nutrition, particularly a deficiency in protein, can worsen the effects of ageing on muscle mass and overall health.
The encouraging news is that you have the power to counteract this! With the right approach, you can make a significant difference in preserving your muscle health and strength.
A study on postmenopausal women revealed that regular resistance training led to a remarkable 19% increase in muscle strength in just one year. This promising result was attributed to the improvement in bone mineral density (BMD), a key factor in preventing osteoporosis as we age.
Remember, while ageing may present some challenges, the choices you make in staying active and maintaining a balanced diet can significantly impact your muscle health and strength. You are in control.
The link between muscles and longevity
Thanks to ongoing scientific research, the connection between exercise and ageing is becoming more apparent. Regular physical activity is linked to living longer and showing fewer signs of ageing.
A 2022 study examining over 1,200 individuals aged 40 and above discovered that skeletal muscle mass is a more accurate indicator of life expectancy than BMI or body fat.
Researchers emphasise the role of resistance training in preserving muscle mass, a critical factor in maintaining physical health and well-being as we age. Regular exercise is closely linked to a longer life and significant reductions in signs of ageing. Research shows that a routine of physical activity, especially a mix of moderate and vigorous exercises, can dramatically lower the risk of significant health issues like hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and various cancers.
Research has outlined how regular physical activity can extend life expectancy. Individuals who maintain consistent exercise routines could see their lives prolonged by several months to nearly seven years. This increase remains significant even when accounting for other lifestyle factors and inherent risks of mortality.
Health guidelines advocate for 150 to 300 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. However, surpassing these recommendations could yield even more benefits. For instance, individuals who engage in 300 to 599 minutes of moderate activity per week can reduce their risk of mortality by 26% to 31%. And for those who truly challenge themselves with vigorous activities, they might see their risk drop by 21% to 23%.
Building and maintaining muscle through regular exercise is truly the ultimate anti-ageing secret weapon, enhancing both the quality and length of life.
The connection between telomeres and ageing
And just as we are discussing physical activity and muscle mass, we have to mention telomeres. These protective caps at the ends of our chromosomes are a critical factor in ageing. As we age, telomeres shorten, which is linked to age-related diseases and a higher risk of death.
Research shows that regular exercise can help keep telomeres longer and healthier. This is partly because exercise activates an enzyme called telomerase, which helps maintain telomere length. By preserving telomeres, exercise can slow down the ageing process at the cellular level. While the current research has some limitations and inconsistencies, it also highlights the need for more studies
Exercise enhances brain function
Exercise does a lot more than help us stay in shape. Regular physical activity is a superfood for the brain, boosting our mood and cognitive abilities. It releases a mix of growth factors, neurotransmitters, and hormones, which are essential for keeping our brain cells healthy and adaptable.
A neuroscience study shows that during exercise, the nerves that activate muscles release molecules that boost brain function. As we age (or suffer from disease or injury), we tend to lose some of the neurons that are critical for muscle activation. This can result in muscle breakdown and loss of muscle function.
The brain plays a crucial role, sending signals to the nerves to stimulate the muscles. The muscles then release various substances into the bloodstream, such as lactate, myokines, and growth factors. These substances are beneficial for brain function, as they improve the brain's plasticity, including increasing the creation of new brain cells and connections between them.
Think of your brain as a garden; regular exercise helps it thrive, encouraging new growth and connections. It's like continuously adding rich soil and water, which keeps your mental processes flexible and quick.
But the perks of keeping up with a workout routine go even deeper, especially when it comes to protecting ourselves against age-related diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Research has shown that people who stay active have a much lower risk of developing these conditions. It's not just about delaying the inevitable; it's about building a strong defence for your brain against the challenges of ageing.
Regular workouts also help balance the nervous system, promoting a smooth interaction between the autonomic and central nervous systems, which is crucial for maintaining sharp mental functions.
By committing to regular physical activity, you're not just fighting the visible signs of ageing; you're actively nurturing your mental agility and slowing down the brain's ageing process. This should inspire and motivate you to make exercise a regular part of your life, knowing that it's not just about physical health, but also about maintaining your cognitive abilities.
Lifting weights might be the newest anti-aging skincare hack
New research has unveiled a new dimension of resistance training that not only builds muscle but also enhances skin appearance. While past studies have demonstrated the skin-improving effects of aerobic exercise on the dermis, this pioneering research wanted to investigate if resistance training could yield a similar or even more pronounced impact.
A study found that resistance training boosts skin elasticity and collagen production and thickens the dermal layer. This can reduce sagging and pigmented spots, giving a more youthful look.
This research is the first to highlight the specific benefits of resistance training on skin ageing and its role in promoting skin rejuvenation.
While these findings are promising, they also pave the way for further exploration. Scientists are excited about the potential for more in-depth research into the longevity of these visible benefits and their potential extension to the outer layer, offering hope for even more significant breakthroughs in the future.
Keeping our muscles strong isn't just about aesthetics; it's about protecting against ageing and ensuring our bodies can handle life's challenges. Regular exercise, especially resistance training, can boost your health, improving heart function, boosting metabolism, and keeping your mind sharp. And the best part? You don't need to be an athlete to benefit; lifting weights, even twice a week, can make a huge difference.
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Urška Rojko, Special Guest Writer and Executive Contributor
Urška is a Women's Exercise & Nutrition Specialist on a mission to revolutionize how women approach their health and fitness. As the visionary behind NESTOLOGY, she offers a refreshing, evidence-based approach that goes beyond the surface, nurturing both body and mind. Balancing life as a single mom and business owner, Urška knows firsthand the challenges women face. She is passionate about redefining fitness, emphasizing that true health and confidence come from within, not from chasing a magazine-cover body. By embracing women's unique physiological needs,she’s not just changing bodies, she’s transforming perspectives, teaching women to celebrate and nurture their bodies from the inside out.
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