Maintaining muscle mass for healthy aging

Finding the motivation to move can be difficult at times, especially when our definition of movement is a one-hour workout at the gym. However, it's not necessary to do such a workout to reap all the benefits of physical activity and maintain muscle mass for healthy aging.

In fact, studies show that simply moving a few minutes after a meal can be beneficial in reducing the rise in post-prandial blood sugar ¹ (which we know is not desirable for several reasons that you can find here ). When we talk about moving, it could be stretching, walking up and down the stairs, cleaning while dancing, or shoveling snow in your driveway. Any activity that gets your muscles moving!

Another study even showed that walking for 3 minutes or doing 10 squats every 45 minutes (for a total of 30 minutes of walking or 100 squats per day) is even more beneficial than going for a single 30-minute walk. ² The important thing to remember is that it is not only the duration of the workout that matters, but also how often we move our bodies throughout the day.

Unfortunately, sitting for several hours a day has undesirable effects on overall health and can even be as damaging as obesity or smoking for the development of several chronic diseases. ^3.4

Studies have even shown that people who do hour-long workouts 2 to 4 times a week, but are mostly inactive the rest of the time, are still considered sedentary, almost completely canceling out the benefits of their workouts. ⁵

So if you have the opportunity, try to take short breaks to stretch your legs and engage some muscles. Work standing up, or maybe even on a treadmill.

Having sufficient muscle mass is an important aspect to consider for metabolic health. Skeletal muscle is the most abundant tissue in the human body and contributes greatly to blood sugar regulation, as it is a large consumer of glucose. During physical activity, when it contracts, it does not require insulin to use glucose in the bloodstream, which reduces the demand and therefore the secretion of insulin by the pancreas. Muscle cells also remain more sensitive to the effect of insulin afterward, thus reducing insulin resistance. ⁶

Muscle mass is also considered a predictor of longevity, given the many benefits of developing and maintaining our muscles. The greater the muscle mass as we age, the better our mobility and balance will be, and therefore, the lower the risk of falls and fractures.

Resistance exercises also help stimulate osteoblasts in bones to make them stronger and increase bone mass, which is also associated with increased healthy longevity. ⁷

• Physical exercise increases the release of several hormones and neurotransmitters responsible for feelings of well-being and better mental health in the long term. These include endorphins, the pleasure hormones; dopamine, the satisfaction hormone; and serotonin, the happiness hormone. There is also an increase in endocannabinoids, which can also increase feelings of well-being, even euphoria. Physical activity also causes the production of cortisol, but this appears to have rather protective effects, helping to increase resistance to everyday stress. ⁸
• Muscle contraction releases what are called myokines, molecules produced by the muscles and communicating directly or indirectly with several organs of the body such as the brain, liver, blood vessels, bones, adipose tissue, etc. To date, more than 650 myokines have been identified. Among these, we find irisin, capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier and stimulating the production of BDNF, a molecule essential for neuroplasticity and therefore for the improvement of cognitive functions. Irisin also plays a role in the transformation of white fat into brown fat. Many interleukins such as IL-6 are secreted, the latter playing a role in the regulation of sugar and fat metabolism and the regulation of inflammation. ⁹
• Skeletal muscle contraction appears to increase klotho gene expression. Indeed, directly after physical activity, a significant increase in a-klotho protein in the bloodstream can be measured. This protein is linked to longevity by acting on certain cellular aging pathways and is also associated with better cardiovascular health, better cognitive function, and better repair and protection capacities against oxidative stress. ¹⁰

One point I would like to add is that it is important to set yourself goals that are realistic and, above all, achievable. Also, if you commit to a goal with someone else, for example, by agreeing with a neighbor to go for a walk every day, you will find it easier to maintain your new habit.

So start with small goals that you can achieve and that will make you proud of having achieved them. Even the smallest goal will always be better than doing nothing at all, and little by little, you might want to give yourself new challenges!

References

1. Reynolds AN, Mann JI, Williams S, Venn BJ., Advice to walk after meals is more effective for lowering postprandial glycaemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus than advice that does not specify timing: a randomized crossover study. Diabetology. 2016 Dec;59(12):2572-2578. doi:10.1007/s00125-016-4085-2. Epub 2016 Oct 17. PMID: 27747394.

2. Gao Y, Li QY, Finni T, Pesola AJ., Enhanced muscle activity during interrupted sitting improves glycemic control in overweight and obese men. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2024 Apr;34(4):e14628. doi:10.1111/sms.14628. PMID: 38629807.

3. Park JH, Moon JH, Kim HJ, Kong MH, Oh YH., Sedentary Lifestyle: Overview of Updated Evidence of Potential Health Risks. Korean J Fam Med. 2020 Nov;41(6):365-373. doi:10.4082/kjfm.20.0165. Epub 2020 Nov 19. PMID: 33242381; PMCID: PMC7700832.

4. Owen N, Healy GN, Matthews CE, Dunstan DW. Too much sitting: the population health science of sedentary behavior. Exercise Sport Sci Rev. 2010 Jul;38(3):105-13. doi:10.1097/JES.0b013e3181e373a2. PMID: 20577058; PMCID: PMC3404815.

5. Kulinski JP, Khera A, Ayers CR, Das SR, de Lemos JA, Blair SN, Berry JD., Association between cardiorespiratory fitness and accelerometer-derived physical activity and sedentary time in the general population. Mayo Clin Proc. 2014 Aug;89(8):1063-71. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2014.04.019. Epub 2014 Jul 7. PMID: 25012770; PMCID: PMC5152946.

6. Sylow L, Kleinert M, Richter EA, Jensen TE., Exercise-stimulated glucose uptake - regulation and implications for glycaemic control. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2017 Mar;13(3):133-148. doi: 10.1038/nrendo.2016.162. Epub 2016 Oct 14. PMID: 27739515.

7. Curtis E, Litwic A, Cooper C, Dennison E., Determinants of Muscle and Bone Aging. J Cell Physiol. 2015 Nov;230(11):2618-25. doi:10.1002/jcp.25001. PMID: 25820482; PMCID: PMC4530476.

8. Basso JC, Suzuki WA., The Effects of Acute Exercise on Mood, Cognition, Neurophysiology, and Neurochemical Pathways: A Review. Brain Plast. 2017 Mar 28;2(2):127-152. doi:10.3233/BPL-160040. PMID: 29765853; PMCID: PMC5928534.

9. Severinsen MCK, Pedersen BK., Muscle-Organ Crosstalk: The Emerging Roles of Myokines. Endocr Rev. 2020 Aug 1;41(4):594–609. doi: 10.1210/endrev/bnaa016. Erratum in: Endocr Rev. 2021 Jan 28;42(1):97-99. doi: 10.1210/endrev/bnaa024. PMID: 32393961; PMCID: PMC7288608.

10. Avin KG, Coen PM, Huang W, Stolz DB, Sowa GA, Dubé JJ, Goodpaster BH, O'Doherty RM, Ambrosio F., Skeletal muscle as a regulator of the longevity protein, Klotho. Front Physiol. 2014 Jun 17;5:189. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2014.00189. PMID: 24987372; PMCID: PMC4060456.

Maison Jacynthe disclaims all liability. All information contained in this article is not intended to replace justified allopathic treatment or disregard the expertise of the medical profession. It is up to each individual to take charge of their own health, to inform themselves, and to make the necessary changes to improve their condition. Therapeutic supervision by a qualified healthcare professional is strongly recommended.