Bodybuilding Supplements Help Seniors Health

advertisement

Main Digest

The loss of lean muscle mass is proving to be a major contributor to increasing disability in old age. And this unfortunate muscle loss occurs naturally for most people at a rate of 0.5% to 2% per year after the age of 40. That means by age 65 (at just 1% loss per year) we may lose 1/4 of our valuable muscle! With this loss of muscle and overall strength, comes a decreased ability to perform even simple everyday tasks of daily living. It's no wonder seniors are increasingly hurt by falls and have difficulty simply climbing stairs.

In order to stave off this dreaded muscle loss, resistance training or weight lifting has become highly recommended, In fact, bodies such as The American College of Sports Medicine recommend weight training for all those over 50 years of age. Research over the years shows that human muscle remains quite responsive to resistance exercise training well into late old age. Some studies have shown that a well planned routine with just light dumbbells was enough to aid some seniors to move about without the aid of the walkers they had been using previously.

Tufts University Research Center did a study where nine women and men, ages 87 to 101, strengthened their front thigh muscles by an average of almost 175 percent over 8 weeks. A 101-year-old retired dentist by the name of Dr. Abraham Datch, actually increased his personal strength by 200 percent over what was recorded when he was age 95! There do not appear to be any age related barrier to weight training and fitness at all.

But this article has even more good news for older adults. A recent study by Hamilton Health Sciences in Canada (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00473902) has shown that using creatine mono-hydrate and conjugated linoleic acid in conjunction with a strength training routine has proven highly beneficial.

Participants in the study, aged 65 to 85, used 5 grams of creatine once a day and 3 grams of conjugated linoleic acid twice a day along with their training routine. The result was an average increase in muscle mass of 2.1 kg (4.62 lbs) over 6 months for each individual taking the supplements. The test group not taking the supplements gained 0.9 kg [1.98 lbs] on the same routine. And simply taking the supplements without working out will not do anything except to waste your money. You can read more about this study in the research report published by the Public Library of Science online at PLoS ONE.

The upshot of this article is that we don't have to be an emergency room statistic or simply a senior having to rely on the kindness of others to get by in our everyday life. Lifting weights and other kinds of strength training can provide a lot of benefits for those willing to take the time to get involved. And this supplement study shows that there are safe ways to aid the increase the building of new muscle through exercise as well. Remember though, you should always check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program or using any kinds of supplements.

But don't resign yourself to a life of inactivity and frailty. Stay strong!

Reference: Find some great bodybuilding supplements such as conjugated linoleic acid at www.onlineshoppinggalore.com

advertisement

Discover Related Topics ▶

Share This Information To:
𝕏.com Facebook Reddit

Disabled World provides general information only. Materials presented are never meant to substitute for qualified professional medical care. Any 3rd party offering or advertising does not constitute an endorsement.