Anti Aging Online

Today, the life expectancy of the average American is about 80 years. For most people, remaining independent for as long as possible is a priority. Unfortunately, aging entails a reduction of muscle mass (declining muscle and diminishing muscle protein content) that results in reduced strength and a slow down of activity, limiting mobility and the ability to undertake basic tasks. That is why maintaining muscle tone is an essential part of healthy aging.

Over time, muscle protein production slows down, affecting muscle function. Exactly when this process begins and how fast it progresses varies according to a person’s genetics and his / her level of physical activity and dietary habits. On average, however, a person begins to lose about a quarter pound of muscle per year in their late 30s – and by age 80 approximately a third of the body’s muscle mass is lost. The natural and progressive loss of muscle fiber due to aging is known as ‘Sarcopenia’ (derived from the Latin “sarco,” meaning muscle, and “penia,” meaning wasting).

Muscle in adults is always being broken down and rebuilt; a process that involves damaging muscle filaments and then rebuilding them. This requires protein. In younger people, the two processes are usually balanced, but with age, muscle breakdown is much faster than the body’s ability to re-build it. Muscle fibers themselves diminish, which means that there are fewer components from which to make muscles. Gradual changes in kidney function lead to an increased production of an acidic state in the blood, which in turn causes the body to give up nitrogen (an important component of muscle protein) much faster, preventing the development of new muscles.

According to research results described in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition up to four out of ten older Americans may not be consuming the recommended daily dosage of protein, partially accounting for loss of muscle mass. A study published by the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) in 2005 showed that adding an amino acid, leucine, to the diet of elderly persons may have beneficial effects on maintaining their muscle mass. Leucine is an essential amino acid, which means that it cannot be manufactured in the body and is obtained from dietary sources, such as rice, beans, meat, nuts, soy flour, and whole wheat.

Amino acid supplements containing Leucine have been advertized as an effective means to reverse the slow-down in muscle metabolism that comes with age. Leucine supplements are available either in stand-alone formulations, or in combination with two other amino acids (isoleucine, and valine), which work together to promote muscle recovery – but do they really work and do you really need them?

The aging of the baby boom generation has encouraged a trend to exaggerate scientific knowledge in order to exploit growing interest in anti-aging interventions and it’s important to be aware that nutritional supplements and anti-aging products are not drugs or medical devices and are therefore not regulated by the FDA in the same way. Keep in mind too that there is an ongoing debate about whether gradual loss of muscle over time is the result of aging or simply caused by poor nutrition and inactivity.

According to one point of view, few Americans suffer from grave protein deficiencies in their regular diets, and ingesting these nutritional supplements will not affect muscle growth. You’ll only be adding un-needed calories to your diet. Furthermore, an excessive intake of proteins could negatively impact your health. If your body does not need, and therefore does not use, the extra protein, it will ultimately be broken down into urea and acidic byproducts which could contribute to kidney failure, osteoporosis and heart disease.

It makes sense that if the content of the supplement is the same as the content of your regular diet, then it won’t be effective. Nutritional supplements taken to prevent or reverse muscle loss (or sarcopenia) should provide nutrients that stimulate muscle protein metabolism i.e. essential amino acids. Non-essential amino acids, which are ineffective for the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis in older people, are however often found in essential amino acid supplements for the elderly, reducing their effectiveness and significantly increasing total calorie intake. One of the reasons is that essential amino acid supplements are more expensive.

So the bottom line is to first decide whether you actually need amino acid supplementation (whether your diet is deficient or not), and then to make sure to use the right supplement. Increasingly, studies on amino acid supplements and the part they play in the muscle metabolism of aging persons are focusing on adapting the amount and proportion of amino acids needed to effectively stimulate muscle protein synthesis.

While recent research emphasizes the importance of amino acids for building muscles, all protein foods contain this nutrient and deficiency is rare. In the final analysis, the burden of deciding whether taking amino acid supplements will help to prevent or reduce muscle loss resulting from aging falls on the consumer’s shoulders.

Tags: antiaging natural skin care germany, antiaging skin care product ratings, antiaging formula skin care products, calorie restriction antiaging, acne and antiaging skin care systems, neck antiaging cream

Tags

Antiaging, Antiaging Supplement