As people age, appearances not only change but critical muscle mass can be loss that helps maintain good health. Sarcopenia is an age-related loss of muscle mass. According to Douglas Paddon-Jones in his article "More Muscle = Less Disease" sarcopenia can cause a 1% total muscle mass loss for every year after the age of 40. Muscle loss can cause it to be harder to lift objects, walk or maintain balance throughout the day. Sarcopenia makes it more difficult to stay physically active which causes an overall increase in chronic disease.
To maintain muscle mass throughout the years, it is critical to consume protein and have an exercise routine. Douglas Paddon-Jones suggests for adults that struggle with sarcopenia that they consume at least 80 g to 90 g of protein a day. If you are a male or are physically active, talk with your doctor about consuming more protein than the recommended amount. If you suffer from kidney disease or another disease make sure to talk to your doctor because your protein intake may need to be limited. Protein intake can be made easier by focusing on getting 25 g to 30 g of protein at each meal and having protein-rich snacks. A breakfast that contains protein is essential for maintaining consistent intake. Some of these protein-rich sources could be chicken, pork, salmon, beans or soy nuts. Supplements such as whey protein or bars may be taken if you are unable to get enough protein. When choosing a supplement make sure it states that it has all essential amino acids.
In regards to exercise and muscle mass maintenance it is important to make sure to stay active. Resistance training via lifting weights, yoga, pilates or resistance bands is a way to increase muscle mass. If you are choosing to lift weights to build muscle mass, it is imperative to build upon the amount of weights you are lifting and add additional repetitions and sets when training. This technique is called progressive resistance training and after doing this for a few months, sarcopenia sufferers could see a few pounds increase in muscle mass according to Douglas Paddon-Jones.
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