If you’re over 40, you’re fighting an uphill battle to preserve your muscle
mass. That’s because you’re slowly losing muscle to sarcopenia, muscle loss
caused by the aging process. Sarcopenia starts in your 30s, but by the time
you get into your 40s your muscles are shrinking by as much as one percent
per year. That may not sound like a lot, but that means you’ve lost at least
10 percent of your muscle mass in just one decade of your life. Then, when
you get into your 60s and 70s, your muscle loss really speeds up. You start
losing three percent of your muscle mass per year. And if you don’t put a
stop to it, you’ll end up weak and frail. You’ll also be more prone to falls
and fractures, which will make it impossible to live an active, independent
life. There are a lot of effective ways to solve the problem of sarcopenia.
A combination of exercise and protein can help you save muscle mass in
middle age- muscle-building resistance exercises and protein intake of 35
grams at breakfast and 25-30 grams at lunch and dinner. But there’s one more
simple thing you can do to stave of sarcopenia…
Take an omega-3 supplement. A recent study published in the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that older women who do resistance
training and take omega-3 supplements have greater muscle function after 18
weeks than women who do resistance training alone. A 2015 study showed that
taking a fish oil supplement slowed the loss of muscle mass and function in
older men and women. And a 2011 study showed that omega-3s enhanced muscle
protein synthesis (the bodily process that helps muscles grow) in older men
and women. In the study, women took 3 grams of fish oil supplements daily.
That provides about 900 milligrams of omega-3. You should know, taking more
than 3 grams (3,000 milligrams) of omega-3 per day may put you at a greater
risk for hemorrhagic stroke, a deadly condition where an artery in your
brain leaks or ruptures. So it’s probably a good idea to work with a trusted
health professional if you want to take omega-3s in large doses.
Your best bet is to get a high quality liquid fish oil, krill oil or
flaxseed oil supplement. Liquid supplements are easier for your body to
absorb than capsules. Look for a supplement that gives you at least 500
milligrams of the fatty acids EPA and DHA per day. Or if you’re searching
for a flaxseed oil supplement, look for one that gives you at least 5,000
milligrams of the fatty acid ALA.
Balancing your body’s master hormone is another way to slow the hands of
time, avoid age-related disease and live a longer, healthier life. People
all over the world are discovering the secret… That’s why blue zones,
communities where above-average numbers of people live to 100 and beyond,
are growing.
