Muscle mass & longevity

Have you ever thought about how your body will look and function when you are 70 years old or older? It may seem like a distant future, but it is never too early to start preparing for it.

One of the best ways to ensure healthy and independent ageing is to build and maintain muscle mass. Muscles are important for appearance and strength, metabolism, immunity, and longevity.

This post will explain why muscles are vital for your health and well-being and how you can preserve and increase your muscle mass through resistance training and proper nutrition.

Why muscles matter

Muscles are the largest and most versatile tissue in the human body. They make up about 40% of your body weight and perform various functions, such as:

As you age, your muscle mass naturally declines due to hormonal changes, physical inactivity, chronic stress, and poor nutrition. This process is called sarcopenia, and it can start as early as your 30s. Sarcopenia can lead to:

The good news is that you can prevent or reverse sarcopenia by stimulating your muscles with resistance training and feeding them with adequate protein. By doing so, you can enjoy the following benefits:

How to build muscles

Building muscles requires two main factors: mechanical tension and nutritional support. Mechanical tension is the stimulus that causes your muscles to grow and adapt. Nutritional support is the fuel that provides your muscles with the building blocks and energy they need to grow and repair.

Mechanical tension
Mechanical tension is the force that your muscles exert against an external resistance, such as weights, bands, or your own body weight. When you apply enough mechanical tension to your muscles, you create microscopic tears in the muscle fibers, which trigger a cascade of biochemical reactions that stimulate muscle growth and repair.
List Item #2
List Item #3

Mechanical tension

Mechanical tension is the force that your muscles exert against an external resistance, such as weights, bands, or your own body weight. When you apply enough mechanical tension to your muscles, you create microscopic tears in the muscle fibers, which trigger a cascade of biochemical reactions that stimulate muscle growth and repair.

The most effective way to apply mechanical tension to your muscles is through resistance training, also known as strength training or weight training. Resistance training involves performing exercises that challenge your muscles to overcome a resistance that is greater than what they are used to.

There are many types of resistance training, such as:

• Free weights (dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, etc.)

• Machines (cable, pulley, lever, etc.)

• Body weight (push-ups, pull-ups, squats, etc.)

• Bands (elastic, rubber, etc.)

• Suspension (TRX, rings, etc.)

The type of resistance training you choose depends on your preferences, goals, availability, and skill level. The most important thing is to choose a type that you enjoy and can perform safely and consistently.

To get the most out of your resistance training, you need to follow some basic principles, such as:

• Frequency: how often you train your muscles

• Intensity: how hard you train your muscles

• Volume: how much you train your muscles

• Progression: how you increase the difficulty of your training over time

• Variation: how you change your training to avoid boredom and plateaus

• Recovery: how you rest and recover your muscles between sessions

The optimal frequency, intensity, volume, progression, variation, and recovery for resistance training depend on many factors, such as your age, fitness level, goals, schedule, and individual response. However, here are some general guidelines that can help you get started:

• Frequency: Aim for 2 to 3 sessions per week, with at least 48 hours of rest between sessions for the same muscle group. For example, you can train your upper body on Monday and Thursday, and your lower body on Tuesday and Friday.

• Intensity: Choose a resistance that allows you to perform 8 to 15 repetitions per set, with good form and moderate to high effort. The last few repetitions should feel challenging, but not impossible. If you can do more than 15 repetitions, increase the resistance. If you can do less than 8 repetitions, decrease the resistance.

• Volume: Perform 2 to 4 sets per exercise, and 8 to 12 exercises per session, depending on your time and energy. Rest for 60 to 90 seconds between sets, and 2 to 3 minutes between exercises.

• Progression: Increase the resistance, repetitions, sets, or frequency of your training gradually and periodically, as you get stronger and more comfortable with the exercises. For example, you can add 5% to 10% of resistance, 1 to 2 repetitions, or 1 set every 2 to 4 weeks, or whenever you feel ready.

• Variation: Change your exercises, resistance, repetitions, sets, or frequency every 4 to 6 weeks, or whenever you feel bored or stuck with your training. For example, you can switch from free weights to machines, from high repetitions to low repetitions, or from full body to split routines.

• Recovery: Allow your muscles to rest and recover between sessions, and avoid overtraining. Listen to your body and adjust your training accordingly. If you feel sore, tired, or injured, take a break or reduce your intensity or volume. Also, make sure to get enough sleep, hydration, and nutrition to support your muscle growth and repair.

Nutritional support

Nutritional support is the fuel that provides your muscles with the building blocks and energy they need to grow and repair. The most important nutrient for your muscles is protein, which is composed of amino acids, the basic units of muscle tissue.

Protein is essential for your muscles because it:

• Provides the raw material for muscle synthesis and repair

• Stimulates muscle protein synthesis, the process of creating new muscle tissue

• Reduces muscle protein breakdown, the process of losing muscle tissue

• Enhances muscle recovery and performance

• Supports muscle function and health

To optimize your muscle mass and strength, you need to consume enough protein throughout the day, especially around your resistance training sessions. The amount of protein you need depends on many factors, such as your age, activity level, goals, and individual response. However, here are some general guidelines that can help you get started:

• Aim for 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, or about 0.75 to 1 gram per pound. For example, if you weigh 70 kg (154 lbs), you need about 112 to 154 grams of protein per day.

• Divide your protein intake into 3 to 5 meals or snacks, spaced evenly throughout the day. Each meal or snack should provide about 20 to 40 grams of protein, depending on your body size and appetite. For example, if you eat 4 meals or snacks per day, each one should provide about 28 to 39 grams of protein.

• Consume a high-quality protein source within 1 to 2 hours before and after your resistance training session. This will help you maximize your muscle protein synthesis and recovery. A high-quality protein source is one that contains all the essential amino acids, such as animal products (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, etc.) or soy products (tofu, tempeh, edamame, etc.).

• Choose a variety of protein sources to get a balanced intake of amino acids and other nutrients. Some examples of protein-rich foods are:

| Food | Protein (g) per 100 g |

| — | — |

| Chicken breast | 31 |

| Lean beef | 26 |

| Salmon | 22 |

| Tuna | 22 |

| Eggs | 13 |

| Greek yogurt | 10 |

| Cottage cheese | 10 |

| Milk | 3 |

| Tofu | 8 |

| Tempeh | 19 |

| Edamame | 11 |

| Lentils | 9 |

| Beans | 7 |

| Nuts | 15 |

| Seeds | 18 |

| Quinoa | 4 |

| Oats | 17 |

You can also use protein supplements, such as whey, casein, soy, pea, or rice protein, to boost your protein intake and convenience. However, protein supplements are not necessary if you can meet your protein needs from food.

In addition to protein, you also need to consume enough carbohydrates and fats to support your energy and health. Carbohydrates and fats are the main sources of fuel for your muscles and other organs, and they also provide various vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that are essential for your well-being.

The amount of carbohydrates and fats you need depends on many factors, such as your age, activity level, goals, and individual response. However, here are some general guidelines that can help you get started:

• Aim for 3 to 5 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight per day, or about 1.5 to 2.5 grams per pound. For example, if you weigh 70 kg (154 lbs), you need about 210 to 350 grams of carbohydrates per day, preferably from complex and high-fiber sources, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds .

Muscle mass & longevity