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A new report from researchers at McMaster University in Canada offers hope for older men who wish to build physical strength — a nutritional supplement:
Whey protein supplements aren't just for gym buffs according to new research from McMaster University. When taken on a regular basis, a combination of these and other ingredients in a ready-to-drink formula have been found to greatly improve the physical strength of a growing cohort: senior citizens.
[...] The deterioration of muscle mass and strength that is a normal part of aging -known as sarcopenia -- can increase the risk for falls, metabolic disorders and the need for assisted living, say researchers.
"Older people who do little to prevent the progression of sarcopenia drift toward a state where they find activities of daily living, like rising from a chair or ascending stairs very difficult or maybe impossible," says lead scientist Stuart Phillips, professor in the Department of Kinesiology and member of McMaster's Institute for Research on Aging.
While a number of isolated nutritional ingredients have been shown to fight sarcopenia, this is the first time such ingredients -- which include whey protein, creatine, vitamin D, calcium and fish oil -- have been combined and tested for this purpose.
For the study, which was published in the journal PLOS ONE, the research team recruited two groups of men aged 70 and older. One group took a protein-based, multi-ingredient nutritional supplement for six weeks without an exercise regimen, while the other group took a placebo. The objective was to evaluate whether daily consumption would result in gains in strength and lean body mass.
Following those six weeks, subjects continued to take the supplement (and placebo) while also undertaking a 12-week progressive exercise training program consisting of resistance and high-intensity interval training.
[...] Most notable, the findings showed improvements in deteriorating muscle health and overall strength for participants both before and after the exercise regimen. In the first six weeks, the supplement resulted in 700 grams of gains in lean body mass -- the same amount of muscle these men would normally have lost in a year. And when combined with exercise twice weekly, participants noticed greater strength gains- especially when compared with their placebo taking counterparts.
Journal Reference:
Kirsten E. Bell, Tim Snijders, Michael Zulyniak, Dinesh Kumbhare, Gianni Parise, Adrian Chabowski, Stuart M. Phillips. A whey protein-based multi-ingredient nutritional supplement stimulates gains in lean body mass and strength in healthy older men: A randomized controlled trial. PLOSONE, 2017; 12 (7): e0181387 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181387
(Score: 2) by VLM on Thursday July 20 2017, @05:05PM (5 children)
Sounds like an interesting SN poll would be to ask about exercise schedules.
Its probably gotta be multiple choice, I lift on Mon/Fri and cardio Tue/Thr. Just got back from swimming pool laps.
I find the more I work at home the more I like a very long "lunch hour" out at the gym to reboot my brain. Its not really cabin fever so much as its like working two short days instead of one long day.
Outside of religion and maybe politics there is no area of human discourse more full of bro-science than exercise. To initiate a flamewar all I have to do is state I lift on machines because my stability muscles are taken care of on tai chi and cardio days, and I aim for 10-15 reps to muscle failure for each set and I try to do two sets per training day on all 16 machines and I only train twice a week to avoid overtraining (I used to do three days when I was a kid, then I took many years off, hurt my back, and now I lift only twice a week). There's so much bro-science in exercise that my training plan either makes me an idiot or a genius.
You can also have really weird discussions with non-exercising people. From sitting at desk, to returned to desk, including warm up cool down shower drive some errands and wolfing down a lite lunch, it takes me two hours per lifting day (a little faster on cardio days), so I'm "wasting" four hours per week, but they'll be perfectly happy to sit in an office chair with back pain or RSI for 40+ hours per week. Anecdotally its not possible to have RSI if you lift (which is probably broscience) and having a strong core completely prevents back pain for me.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 20 2017, @06:43PM (1 child)
I assume from the length and details you provided that you also do crossfit.
(Score: 2) by VLM on Friday July 21 2017, @11:17AM
No, and thats not crossfit but Crossfit Inc (r) (tm) and probably (c) too.
Thats another curious aspect of exercise, lots of money to be siphoned off as official trainers of not much.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 20 2017, @09:03PM
Utility cycling works fairly well for me, currently age 65. Have a bike with rack, use it for shopping and other nearby errands (usually a few miles each way) when the weather is good. Not wearing lycra or riding with any groups.
There are a few short hills in the area, so there is some effort involved. I kind of fall apart in the winter--after a fall on ice (~30 years ago) I don't ride below freezing anymore (although properly dressed the cold is not a big deal). Yes, I have stationary bikes, but they are so boring that I'm lucky to ride one a dozen times per year.
Any poll should also include current age (range) as well as type/duration of exercise...
(Score: 1) by slap on Thursday July 20 2017, @11:57PM
I usually walk about 20 miles a week at a brisk pace. In the evenings, I do exercises - I plank for 6 to 7 minutes, use handweights, do 100 sit-ups, 30 deep knee bends, and around 35 pushups, and some other exercises. Oh, I'm 62.
(Score: 2) by Magic Oddball on Friday July 21 2017, @02:32AM
My current schedule is 80 min. on Monday & Thursday evenings with my 67-year-old father — either just using a cardio bike straight through, or if my neck is behaving I'll do 30-40 min. cardio bike + 30-40 min. on weight machines. (I've got cervical scoliosis & spinal-canal stenosis, so muscle spasms, sharp 'arm fell asleep' tingling, etc. are a bit of a problem.)
I actually look forward to cardio, as I spend the whole time reading & listening to music uninterrupted without feeling like I should be doing something more 'productive.'