What are you doing to get strong? Is it enough? Are you looking at it from both a nutritional as well as a exercise perspective? Lastly, why is this important?
In general, as we age significant changes occur in muscle mass and muscle strength. On average, according to NCBI post age 50 muscle mass decreases 1 to 2% per year. Muscle strength is said to diminish by 1.5% age 50 to 60 and even greater to 3% per year after 60. While sources and definition can vary it is estimated that 25% to 45% of older adults in the US suffer from sarcopenia.
Why should I care?
“Sarcopenia, or the decline of skeletal muscle tissue with age, is one of the most important causes of functional decline and loss of independence in older adults.”
The degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass associated with aging and immobility. The rate of loss is dependent on exercise level, nutrition, co-morbidities, hormones and other factors. Think of what happens if your leg is in a cast, once the cast is removed that leg looks nothing like it did previously.
Finding routines that build muscle strength and a nutritional path to fuel your body with enough protein to energize the muscles is vital to mobility and quality of life. The good news is change is possible at any age, it is consistency and progression that must be on your team.
Let’s explore what people are saying
“Malnutrition can claim culpability for a multitude of health problems, and the degeneration of muscles (also known as muscle wasting) is just one of many results of nutritional deficiency.”
“A sedentary lifestyle puts you at risk for a multitude of diseases. Muscle inactivity reduces muscle mass, even in young healthy adults.”
International Osteoporosis Foundation
“Clinical studies have linked the loss of strength to decreases in mobility and functioning seen in older people and have suggested that the extent of strength loss could serve as a risk factor for mortality.”
“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 much protein should one eat?
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is only 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Mind you, this is a very modest amount and suggested for sedentary individuals.
If you think about that though, it’s kind of weird, on one hand experts say most people are seeing a decline in muscle mass especially when sedentary so you’d think more protein as well as more exercise would be needed. Food for thought and why recommendations are often the very lowest common denominator.
OK, let’s go with their suggestions and see how we do. To determine your RDA multiply your weight in pounds by 0.36. Example a person who weighs 165 lbs./75 kg would need a modest 60 grams of protein.
Now as one size fits no one, all kinds of exceptions can be attached to the number you calculate. For example, if an athlete you need more. If over the age of 65 you need more. If your immune system is compromised you need more, if stressed more is needed. The list is endless and constitutes a large percentage of the population.
Certain sources say women’s needs are less than men. However, if we look at that this common-sense wise woman are vulnerable when it comes to muscle decline, due to hormonal changes and menopause related issues. Thus, do we need more not less?
As many of the sources quoted above, we’re not doing well at maintaining our muscle strength and given the positive benefits of protein to the body it needs our attention. Europeans and international groups view it differently as stated by Kaiser Health News. (below quote)
“After reviewing additional evidence, an international group of physicians and nutrition experts in 2013 recommended that healthy older adults consume 1 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily — a 25 to 50 percent increase over the RDA. (That’s 69 to 81 grams for a 150-pound woman, and 81 to 98 grams for a 180-pound man.) Its recommendations were subsequently embraced by the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism.”
The choice is up to you. Personally, I’m going to take the higher or European recommendation of 1.2 grams of protein because I feel better with more protein! Now let’s look at how much protein is in various food sources just to get a reference. If you are more curious, here is the USDA complete list of protein in food.
Points to keep in mind
- Amino acids are what make up a protein
- There are essential and nonessential amino acids
- Nonessential can be synthesized by the body
- Essential must be obtained through diet
- Complete proteins contain all 9 essential amino acids in sufficient amounts
Generally speaking, animal proteins are considered higher quality when it relates to building muscle because they usually contain all nine essential amino acids and most plant-based proteins miss one or more amino acids.
Diana Rodgers, RD, LDN, NT states really clearly the dangers of eating too little protein.
“Your body needs protein, and if you don’t get it through diet, your body will start breaking down your muscle and other tissues in order to get protein. This leads to muscle wasting and weakness. Immune function decreases because protein is required for antibodies. Adequate protein is also required for bone health. You also need protein as enzymes and to carry oxygen to tissues, so low protein can cause lethargy. Low protein is also associated with hair loss, brittle nails and cold hands and feet. Low protein can cause weight gain. B12 deficiency (a vitamin only available in animal protein) has been shown as an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease and serious neurological disorders in infants of vegan mothers.”
A small sample of protein content in foods
These are average amounts and not ‘exact’ because diverse sources use varying amounts to calculate and do not always agree on what a serving size is. But it gives you a rough idea.
3 oz top sirloin beef-26 g. protein
3 oz. lamb-25 g. protein
3 oz. fish salmon-24 g. protein
3 oz tuna-canned drained-22 g. protein
6 oz. Greek yoghurt-18 g. protein
1 cup black-eyed peas-14 g. protein
1 cup cottage cheese-13 g. protein
1 cup 2% milk-10 g. protein
1 cup Quinoa-8 g. protein
1 egg-6 g. protein
1 oz. walnuts-4 g. protein
What does that look like?
OK, so if I take myself here, If I use the low end of grams needed per day that’s around 50 to 60, on the higher end which I probably should use it would be close to a 100 when working out vigorously.
While I’ve been doing a lot better the last 6 months, I still have a way to go. I have good quality Greek or full-fat yogurt with walnuts for breakfast, when not fasting. Lunch always has a minimum of 2 boiled eggs, with meat leftovers and or hard cheese. Dinner is some type of meat dish with a minimum of the 3 ounces.
Thus, roughly 20 at breakfast, 15 to 20 at lunch and 30+ at dinner. Thus, it is doable! You need to think, plan and execute on it. How about you? Share your thoughts and goals!
In this post, Resistance Training 101 I explore the exercise part of getting strong, particularly the benefits of diverse resistance training methods.
“Our real problem, then, is not our strength today; it is rather the vital necessity of action today to ensure our strength tomorrow.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower
