Muscle tone, your body, and aging
Most people’s muscles grow larger and stronger up until they reach the age of 30. At some point after 30 years of age, you begin to lose muscle mass and function. For those people who do NOT regularly exercise, they will lose as much as 5% of their muscle mass per decade (after 30 years of age). However, even if you are very active, everyone will still experience some muscle loss.
The reduction of muscle mass is dangerous and consequential because loss of muscle means less strength and mobility. The loss of muscle tone in adults older than 50 years of age is a dangerous concern due to muscle strength being a known factor in the occurrence of frailty and the likelihood of falls and fractures in adults.
Symptoms of muscle tone loss can include musculoskeletal weakness and loss of stamina. Although muscle loss is mostly seen in people who are inactive, the fact that it also occurs in people who stay physically active throughout life suggests there are other factors involved in muscles deteriorating.
Some factors believed to play a role involving muscle tone loss include:
Age-related reduction in nerve cells
A decrease in someone’s hormone levels, including growth hormone, testosterone, and insulin-like growth factor
Inadequate intake of calories and/or protein to sustain muscle mass
Not enough cardio / weight training exercise
Poor diet / inadequate intake of calories
Lack of sufficient protein in diet to sustain / build muscle mass
One of the best remedies for excessive muscle tone loss is to balance the patient’s hormone levels and prescribe a rigorous resistance and strength training that builds muscle strength and endurance. Weight-bearing exercise is one of the most effective remedies against muscle loss. For those people who are unfamiliar with exercising and being in a gym, it is advised that you should work with an experienced physical therapist or trainer to develop an individualized exercise and diet plan.