How to protect your muscle tone as you age

By Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D. on Apr 23, 2024

Super-muscle guys like Dwayne Johnson (51) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (76) are able to preserve their muscle strength through the decades. It can seem a bit more challenging for other folks.

It's estimated that, on average, people who aren't physically active lose 3% of their muscle tone every year after middle age. But all you need to do to overcome that decline is get regular resistance exercise and have a steady supply of the amino acid leucine from the food you eat.

Leucine is found in turkey, sunflower seeds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, salmon and egg whites, but it only lasts in your body for four hours. So, the smart move is to eat one or more of those proteins as part of your first meal and then every four hours thereafter, especially if you are on a weight-loss program. One study found that seniors eating the most protein were 30% less likely to become functionally impaired than those who ate the least. So, dig in!

Additional protection of your muscle strength comes from a molecule called trigonelline that's found in the body -- and in coffee and fenugreek. It can boost both muscle function and overall health. You can also protect muscle tone with regular strength training using your body weight, stretchy bands, and weight machines. And it should be combined with heart-loving moderate to vigorous walking and other aerobics.

For more antiaging techniques check out the free newsletter at LongevityPlaybook.com and iHerb.com's blog, "5 Supplements for Anti-Aging -- Skin, Joint, Vision Health, and More."

Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.