After age 30, men begin to lose as much as 3% to 5% of muscle mass per decade, according to WebMD.com. Most men will lose about 30% of their muscle mass during their lifetimes. Less muscle means greater weakness and less mobility, both of which may increase your risk of falls and fractures.
A 2015 report from the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research found that people with sarcopenia, age-related muscle loss, had 2.3 times the risk of having a low-trauma fracture from a fall, such as a broken hip, collarbone, leg, arm, or wrist.
“Older men can increase muscle mass lost as a consequence of aging,” says Dr. Thomas W. Storer, director of the exercise physiology and physical function lab at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “It takes work, dedication, and a plan, but it is never too late to rebuild muscle and maintain it.”
Increasing strength and endurance
One possible contributor to sarcopenia, age-related muscle loss, is the natural decline of testosterone, the hormone that stimulates protein synthesis and muscle growth. Think of testosterone as the fuel for your muscle-building fire.
The FDA has not approved taking testosterone supplements to build muscle mass in men due to their side effects.
The best means to build muscle mass, no matter your age, is progressive resistance training (PRT), says Dr. Storer. With PRT, you gradually amp up your workout volume—weight, reps, and sets—as your strength and endurance improve. This constant challenging builds muscle and keeps you away from plateaus where you stop making gains. To gain more muscle mass, older men need a structured and detailed PRT program, says Dr. Storer.
Set up a detailed progressive resistance strength training workouts
You should do strength-training that works all major muscle groups—legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms—at least two days a week. Strength training can involve lifting weights, using resistance bands, or exercises like push-ups and sit-ups, in which your body weight furnishes the resistance.
A typical training program might include
- 8 to 10 exercises that target all the major muscle groups
- sets of 12 to 15 reps, performed at an effort of about 5 to 7 on a 10-point scale
- two or three workouts per week.
After you have established a routine, the way to progress is to add a second and then a third set of the exercises. Another way is to decrease the number of reps per set and increase the weight or resistance to the point where you are able to complete at least eight reps, but no more than 12.
Increasing muscle power
Building muscle is not all about strength, says Dr. Storer. You also need power. “Muscle power, how fast and efficiently you move, is more connected to the activities of daily living and physical function than muscular strength,” he says.
A good way to improve overall muscle power is with your legs, since they are most responsible for mobility. “Doing quicker movements against resistance, like one’s own body weight, can be an effective means of developing power,” says Dr. Storer.
For instance, when rising from a seated position, try to do it quickly. When climbing stairs, hold the handrail and push off a step as fast as possible. “It does not have to be every step—begin with one to three steps—but this teaches your muscles to use strength in a more effective way.”
References:
- https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/guide/sarcopenia-with-aging
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/preserve-your-muscle-mass