January 14, 2022

Loss Of Strength And Energy As We Get Older

By Jarah Breese BAppSc (Ex&SpS) MSc High Performance Science
 Elements For Life Director and Exercise Scientist

 

 

Getting older doesn’t automatically mean we need to have less vigour or less energy. We’re choosing to remain more active much later in life than in the past. If we’re not careful we lose strength and energy.

 

Our golf drive is not carrying as far, our tennis serve not as powerful and it’s becoming harder to keep up with others on the bike. One reason for this is decreased muscle mass and strength. After middle age we lose around 8% of our muscle per decade and around 30% of our strength is lost between the ages of 50 and 70 (1,2). The good news is we can slow and even reverse this.

 

So how do we feel stronger and more energetic? Firstly we need to make sure our bodies are fuelled enough. Getting adequate amounts of lean, nutrient dense proteins such as eggs and grass fed steak as well as carbohydrates like rice will provide the fuel for you to burn. Try just adding a little bit more to your meals without overeating.

 

Secondly, we need to move and rest! The less we move the more sluggish we feel. Regular exercise increases endorphins, boots cardiovascular health, improves sleep and many other positive aspects of your health. Sleep is crucial to recovery, strength and energy levels. Make sure you are getting the right amount of quality sleep each night. If you are having trouble sleeping I recommend chatting with your GP.

 

Break your exercise into two categories, cardiovascular and strength. Your cardiovascular exercise can be anything that steadily increases your heart rate for a longer period of time such as walking, cycling, running and swimming. Improving your cardiovascular fitness will help you enjoy your chosen activity for longer without getting fatigued and recover faster. Strength exercises such as squats, rowing and pressing movements using weights will make huge impact to how you feel and I believe an absolute must do if you want to live a fit and active life. Improving strength will enable you to fatigue slower, feel stronger and feel like you have more energy from day to day.

 

Thirdly, we can conveniently  help our bodies produce more energy and fatigue slower with high quality supplements. I formulated and give my clients Boost Strength & Vitality to help them feel stronger and more energy during their training and activities. This supplement has three key ingredients. Creatine HCL which has been show to increase strength and energy (3,4), L-Citrulline which can improve blood flow and endurance (5,6) and Carnitine which can reduce fatigue and increase capacity for physical activity (7,8).

 

Making small changes to our diet, exercise and supplementation can make a big difference to how much energy we have and how strong we feel. Make gradual changes. Take Boost Strength & Vitality daily and pick one area to focus on and implement it into your weekly routine. You will start to feel stronger and have more energy for life

 

*always consult your doctor or healthcare professional before starting an exercise program or taking any new supplements. The references for this article can be found on our website.

 

 

 

References

  1. 2021. How to Fight Sarcopenia (Muscle Loss Due to Aging). [online] Available at: <https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sarcopenia#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2> [Accessed 23 August 2021].
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3940510/
  3. Stares, A. and Bains, M., 2020. The Additive Effects of Creatine Supplementation and Exercise Training in an Aging Population: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, 43(2), pp.99-112.
  4. Candow DG, Chilibeck PD. Effect of creatine supplementation during resistance training on muscle accretion in the elderly. J Nutr Health Aging. 2007 Mar-Apr;11(2):185-8. PMID: 17435961.
  5. Gonzales, J., Raymond, A., Ashley, J. and Kim, Y., 2017. Doesl-citrulline supplementation improve exercise blood flow in older adults?. Experimental Physiology, 102(12), pp.1661-1671.
  6. Buckinx F., Carvalho L.P., Marcangeli V., Dulac M., Hajj Boutros G., Gouspillou G., Gaudreau P., Noirez P., Aubertin-Leheudre M.2020. High intensity interval training combined with L-citrulline supplementation: Effects on physical performance in healthy older adults. Experimental Gerontology, 140, p.111036
  7. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/86/6/1738/5064838
  8. Malaguarnera, M., Gargante, M., Cristaldi, E., Colonna, V., Messano, M., Koverech, A., Neri, S., Vacante, M., Cammalleri, L. and Motta, M., 2008. Acetyl l-carnitine (ALC) treatment in elderly patients with fatigue. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 46(2), pp.181-190

 

Written by Jarah Breese