In my last post, I discussed the importance of Essential Amino Acids. Today, I want to show you how to Rebuild Muscle Over 40 Years Old and stop, or at the very least slow down, muscle atrophy.
- Eat Enough Protein: Consuming enough protein is essential for building and maintaining muscle mass. For adults over 40, the recommended daily intake is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight or about 0.36 grams per pound.
- Strength Train: Resistance training is one of the most effective muscle-building methods. Aim for two to three weekly strength training sessions, focusing on compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and push-ups.
- Get Enough Sleep: Sleep plays a vital role in muscle recovery, so ensure you get enough rest. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
- Reduce Stress: Stress can interfere with muscle growth by releasing hormones that break down muscle tissue. Relax and unwind daily to reduce stress and keep your muscles healthy.
- Stay Hydrated: Staying hydrated is essential for muscle repair and growth. Aim to drink at least eight glasses of water each day.
- Take Supplements: Supplements can help you reach your daily protein requirements and support muscle growth. Popular options include protein powder, creatine, and branched-chain amino acids.
Resistance Training
Resistance training is a type of physical exercise that uses resistance or weight to improve strength, anaerobic endurance, and the size of skeletal muscles.
Resistance training is also known as strength training, weight training, or weight lifting. It can be done with free weights such as barbells and dumbbells, machines such as cable machines, or bodyweight exercises such as push-ups and pull-ups.
Resistance training aims to increase strength, power, and endurance. It can also help reduce body fat, increase bone density, and decrease the risk of injury.
Resistance training can be used to improve performance in athletics or to increase overall fitness and health.
Supplements That Help Building Muscle
- Protein Supplements: Protein is the building block of muscle and provides essential amino acids necessary for muscle growth. Protein supplements come in the form of whey, casein, and plant-based powders.
- Creatine: Creatine is an amino acid that helps increase muscle size, strength, and power output. It can be found in various forms, including powder and capsules.
- Beta-Alanine: Beta-alanine is an amino acid that can help increase muscle endurance and strength and reduce fatigue during workouts.
- Branched-chain Amino Acids (BCAAs): BCAAs combine three essential amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine), which are necessary for muscle growth and recovery.
- HMB: HMB (beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate) is a metabolite of the amino acid leucine that can help to increase muscle mass and reduce muscle damage.
- Citrulline Malate: Citrulline malate is an amino acid that helps to increase energy production and reduce fatigue during exercise.
- Glutamine: Glutamine is an amino acid essential for muscle recovery and growth. It is also thought to help reduce muscle soreness and improve immune system function.
- ZMA: ZMA (zinc magnesium aspartate) combines minerals (zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6) that can help improve muscle strength, size, and recovery.
Essential Amino Acids
Essential amino acids are the nine amino acids the body cannot produce independently. They must be obtained through diet and are therefore considered necessary for health.
These nine essential amino acids are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.