Hypertrophy Training: Reversing Age-Related Muscle Loss!

Offsetting Muscle loss – Hypertrophy Training

Welcome to my newsletter. In this edition I will be addressing age-related muscle loss (Sarcopenia), the detrimental effects of this and why hypertrophy (muscle growth) training can be important in offsetting these effects.

Understanding Muscle Loss

One of the significant effects of aging is the involuntary loss of muscle mass (Sarcopenia) strength and overall function. It appears these losses progress from the 5th decade of life which can result in an increased risk of developing functional limitations, frailty, and loss of independence (Mertz et al. 2023).

Causes of Muscle Loss

Although the causes of age-related muscle loss are not clearly understood, several factors are associated with the decline.

1. Hormonal Changes

As Testosterone plays a role in muscle protein synthesis (physiological process behind muscle protein facilitating muscle growth or maintenance), the declining levels with age are suggested to contribute to muscle loss. Growth hormone is also associated with muscle loss.

2. Decreased Physical Activity

Periods of muscle inactivity has been shown to reduce muscle mass and strength which relates to the saying “use it or lose it”. With more sedentary lifestyles and the reliance on technology many people typically spend long periods of the day inactive or with minimal movement.

3. Inadequate Nutrition

From a nutritional perspective, muscle protein synthesis requires Amino acids ingested from dietary protein. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of protein is around 0.8g of protein per kg of bodyweight. However, these values are based on sedentary individuals. Healthy active adults may look to consume around 1g per kg/bodyweight minimum whereas scientific bodies recommend the requirement for those looking to increase lean muscle mass and training hard could be as much as double the RDA (Schoenfield et al. 2013).

4. Chronic Conditions

Health conditions such as Type 2 diabetes is associated with impaired muscle protein synthesis and declining muscle mass and function. Insulin resistance, inflammation, oxidative stress, vitamins levels and other factors can also affect muscle health (Chen et al. 2023).

Muscle Loss across decades

Muscle mass has been shown to decrease by 3-8% per decade after the age of 30 and accelerates even further after 60 years (Volpi et al. 2004). It has been reported that muscle mass decreases by 1-1.4% per year in the lower limbs (Fragala et al. 2019).

Impact of muscle loss on Health and Performance

Health effects:

• Metabolic health, bone health, metabolism and weight management can all be impaired with reduced muscle mass and strength.
• Increased risk of Sarcopenic Obesity (SO) – both sarcopenia (aging-induced muscle loss) and obesity (Hershberger and Bollinger, 2015)

Performance Effects:

• Declines in muscle are associated with reduced strength and power. This can affect everyday activities and recreational or athletic performance.
• Weaker muscles can result in more falls and injuries with decreased stability and coordination. The rate of decline in strength is 2-5 times greater than muscle loss.
• Muscle power has been shown to be more important than muscle strength in the ability to perform everyday tasks (Fragala et al. 2019). Reduced muscle mass can impair the ability to maintain independent everyday function.

Importance of Hypertrophy Training

The good news is that age-related muscle loss can be offset with regular resistance training and exercise. A hypertrophy training program can be designed to promote muscle growth as long as adequate rest, recovery and nutritional principles are in place too. Here are some factors how hypertrophy training can offset muscle loss:

• Stimulating Muscle growth

Mechanical tension, metabolic stress and muscle damage incurred through targeted resistance training stimulates muscle growth utilising muscle protein synthesis (Howe et al. 2017).

A study by Candow et al. (2011) found that a whole-body resistance training program 3 x per week for 22 weeks in older men aged 60-71, increased muscle mass and strength and overcome age-related deficits.

• Maintaining Metabolism

Higher muscle mass can increase Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and the resulting body energy expenditure.

• Enhancing Bone density

Resistance exercise or mechanical loading can improve bone mineral density and is beneficial for the preservation of bone and muscle mass (Hong and Kim, 2018)

• Improving Functional ability

Maintaining muscle mass helps maintain strength and power required for everyday activities like lifting, pulling, pushing, carrying. Can improve overall neuromuscular functioning.

Getting started with Hypertrophy Training

According to the NASM (Fragala et al. 2019) older adults should follow a resistance program of the following:

• 2-3 sets of 1-2 multijoint exercises of each major muscle group
• 70-85% of 1RM (Repetition max)
• 2-3 x per week
• Power exercises can be included at 40-60% of 1RM
• Training programs should be individualised, periodized and progressive

However, for those not in a gym or with no experience, using just bodyweight exercises, resistance bands or medicine balls can be sufficient when commencing some basic resistance training.

For younger or middle-aged adults training frequency, intensity and program design may look different as there are many different hypertrophy training formats that can be progressively implemented.

It is best to commence a training program that is suitable based on your training age and lifestyle demands that also allows enough time for rest and recovery to facilitate positive adaptations.

To summarise:

• Set realistic goals
• Diversify your routine
• Prioritize recovery
• Seek professional guidance

If you are not already engaged in a regular form of resistance training or it’s been a long time since you were consistently physically active, have no major health concerns or injuries commencing some form of resistance training will be beneficial.

For those with time constraints or other demands, this can be in periodised blocks of 4, 8 or 12 weeks throughout the year. I offer program design coaching, in-person coaching or online coaching utilising a training app for those who want some more specific help with program design, scheduling their week and getting the most out of their training.

Before beginning any exercise regime, it is essential to consult with either a healthcare professional or exercise specialist, especially if you have any known health/medical conditions or pain/injuries.

Thank you for reading and I hope you found this newsletter beneficial.

Get building some muscle!

Any questions please email lee@leeransomcoaching.com

References

Candow, D. G., Chilibeck, P. D., Abeysekara, S., & Zello, G. A. (2011). Short-Term Heavy Resistance Training Eliminates Age-Related Deficits in Muscle Mass and Strength in Healthy Older Males. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25(2), 326–333.

Chen, H., Huang, X., Dong, M., Wen, S., Zhou, L., & Yuan, X. (2023). The Association Between Sarcopenia and Diabetes: From Pathophysiology Mechanism to Therapeutic Strategy. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity, 16, 1541–1554.

Fragala, M. S., Cadore, E. L., Dorgo, S., Izquierdo, M., Kraemer, W. J., Peterson, M. D., & Ryan, E. D. (2019). Resistance Training for Older Adults. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 33(8), 2019–2052.

Hershberger, D., & Bollinger, L. (2015). Sarcopenic Obesity: Etiology, and the Roles of Diet and Exercise in its Treatment. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 37(5), 72–77.

Hong, A. R., & Kim, S. W. (2018). Effects of Resistance Exercise on Bone Health. Endocrinology and Metabolism, 33(4), 435.

Howe, L. P., Read, P., & Waldron, M. (2017). Muscle Hypertrophy: A Narrative Review on Training Principles for Increasing Muscle Mass. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 39(5), 72–81.

Mertz, K. H., Reitelseder, S., Rasmussen, M. A., Bulow, J., Hojfeldt, G., Jensen, M., Hjulmand, M., Lindberg, J., Kramer, M. U., Bechshoft, R., & Holm, L. (2023). Changes in Muscle Mass and Strength During Follow-Up After One-year resistance Training Interventions in Older Adults. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 37(10), 2064–2070.

Schoenfeld, B. J., Aragon, A. A., & Krieger, J. W. (2013). The effect of protein timing on muscle strength and hypertrophy: a meta-analysis. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 10(1).