Ladies - have you noticed that it’s hard to stay in shape as you get older? Does it seem like you have to work harder at it than men? Well, there’s a reason for that. New research shows women have a tougher time replacing the muscle we naturally lose as we get older because of the way our bodies react to food.
The study found post-menopausal women were less able to store protein in muscle than men - probably due to hormonal changes. And the female body’s response to food and exercise starts to go down in their mid- to late-60s. Women are especially at risk of losing muscle mass because they tend to have less muscle and more fat than men in early and middle age.
This makes it even more important for older women to combine resistance training with a diet high in protein to stay in shape.
“Rather than eating more, older people should focus on eating a higher proportion of protein in their everyday diet,” says study author Michael Rennie, The University of Nottingham, United Kingdom. “In conjunction with resistance exercise, this should help to reduce the loss of muscle mass over time.”
Of course, maintaining muscle is critical in reducing the risk of falls – a big cause of premature death in the elderly. Half of seniors who have a serious fall die within two years.
You can start by learning how to add weights to your workout right now. Don’t worry - you don’t have to go all out if this is something that’s new to you.
If you want to read the full study, it’s in the online issue of PLoS One.
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Tags: Exercise, hormonal changes, muscles, post-menopausal, research, weight training, women
