With age comes clearer priorities, greater financial freedom, senior shopping discounts, and wiser perspectives. However, physiological changes ruin the fun as bones weaken and reaction times take a nosedive. I have noticeably started to shrink a little, most likely due to the disc compression in the spine. Further, I forget things more frequently.
Experts say physiological changes depend on various factors, including nutritional and lifestyle choices made earlier in life. The changes accelerate from 60, particularly for people with conditions like cardiovascular disease or diabetes. It is no surprise that many people ask the question; is it possible to build muscle after 60?
Fortunately, I discovered that the combination of resistance training, a healthy diet, and a well-chosen list of supplements slow down most age-related physiological changes. As a result, I wake up every morning feeling energized and younger. Here is a list of effective nutritional supplements to help you build muscle later in life.
Creatine
Creatine is vital for anyone looking to supercharge strength and increase muscle mass. I use creatine products by GNC to maximize results and improve the quality of my workout routines.
The best part is that I noticed a significant improvement in cognitive abilities. Hence, supplements help improve my quality of life.
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Research studies confirmed that creatine supplementation has both central and peripheral effects. It becomes easier to counteract cognitive dysfunction and sarcopenia (loss of skeletal muscle mass and function).
I take approximately 20 grams per day to realize the desired effects. Experts recommend this dosage to boost phosphocreatine and skeletal muscle creatine.
The supplement enhances performance during high-intensity workouts. Physical exercise leverages the creatine-phosphocreatine energy matrix to maximize efficiency and results.
Other Benefits of Creatine
With creatine, I take advantage of improved fatigue resistance to handle everyday tasks with ease. I am more confident about my ability to counteract age-related decreases in strength, muscle creatine, bone density, and muscle mass.
This type of supplement yields substantial physiological benefits, even when taken independently of physical exercise. When combined with resistance training, creatine boosts bone mineral density better than workouts alone.
Increased creatine content in the brain enhances neuropsychological function. Overall, creatine supplementation is a safe and inexpensive option for adults aged over 60.
Vitamin D
Although researchers usually focus on the role of vitamin D in maintaining skeletal health, they have also assessed the impact of vitamin D supplementation on muscle mass.
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The studies focus on subjects older than 60 years of age grappling with vitamin D deficiency. Researchers discovered a statistically significant link between low vitamin D levels and low skeletal mass regardless of gender. Deficiency also affects isometric knee movement. Hence, the need to boost vitamin D levels through supplements.
More Benefits of Vitamin D
Based on personal experience, I realized that supplements help boost cognitive function and skeletal mass.
Additionally, it helps fight against diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, depression, hypertension, and heart disease.
Whey Protein
Protein supplements after 60 play an integral role in increasing muscle mass. Whey protein shakes come with roughly four times more protein than a cooked egg or identical portions of semi-skimmed milk. I find whey ideal for my needs because it is easier to digest and enhances amino acids’ uptake speed.
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Although many people recommend taking whey protein before exercise, I prefer consuming it after a workout. In doing so, I benefit from improved muscle building as the body recovers from intensive training.
Grass-fed whey protien from Levels is a quality protein supplement for 60 year olds. The product receives many positive reviews from satisfied customers. I recommend the product for maximizing lean muscle mass gains.
By boosting protein intake, older adults can leverage improved bodybuilding capacity. In turn, it becomes easier to ward off age-related issues like impaired metabolic health, frailty, and decreased physical function. Reports show that deficits in anabolic signaling compromise skeletal muscle’s response to increased protein intake and physical exercise.
More Benefits of Whey Protein
For me, balanced supplementation with whey protein, creatine, and other supplements counteracted acute periods of inactivity. For this reason, a combination of resistance training and supplementation provides an effective countermeasure.
Experts recommend a protein intake of between 0.45 and 0.55 grams per pound of body weight. For older adults, increasing the portion is vital to boost skeletal muscle health. This aspect is particularly essential when struggling to consume a sufficient amount of protein.
I add leucine to the protein shakes since aging reduces protein synthesis. Adding six grams of leucine to 30 grams of whey protein can prove highly beneficial.
Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are undoubtedly my favorite dietary supplement of all time. I started supplementing with BCAA capsules in my 20s to boost lean muscle gains. At the time, my body responded well to the supplements.
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Nowadays, I alternate between powder form branched-chain amino acids and tablets. Quality BCAA supplements available on the market include USN BCAA 12:1:1 and Optimum Nutrition’s BCAA. Manufacturers offer a wide array of options, including vegan BCAAs and branched-chain amino acids with glutamine.
The products come with varying amino acid ratios (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) to suit different nutritional needs. I count on the supplement to bulk up and recover from high-intensity workouts. Recovery is a critical aspect of resistance training, particularly for older folk.
More Benefits of BCAAs
Essential amino acids have a strong biological effect in the body as building blocks for both neurotransmitters and proteins. By supplementing with BCAAs, older people stimulate the biological pathway that results in muscle growth. Furthermore, the supplement prevents muscle breakdown.
Combining branched-chain amino acids with protein supplements after 60 reduces stress hormones and boosts testosterone levels.
Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methylbutyrate (HMB)
While protein supplements for 60 year olds is vital, I also recently discovered little-known HMB. Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate shares similarities with leucine found in BCAA supplements. According to scientists, HMB occurs in small quantities as a by-product of leucine breakdown.
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Meanwhile, foods like catfish, avocado, cauliflower, and grapefruit contain minute quantities of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB). The small amount contained in these foods makes it difficult to obtain adequate nutritional support through diet alone.
With age, muscle breakdown accelerates, which undermines the ability to gain and maintain muscle mass. Protein synthesis and muscle breakdown occur throughout the day. The goal is to minimize breakdown and enhance regeneration.
HMB helps counteract these challenges by slowing down the breakdown of muscles. Thus, it becomes easier to preserve muscle mass after the age of 60. Some of the beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate products available on the market include BulkSupplements HMB Powder, Met-RX, Optimum Nutrition HMB, and HMB by VitaMonk.
More Benefits of HMB
The body’s HMB levels have a direct link to the existing muscle mass. For this reason, it is vital to strive to ingest an increased amount of HMB through supplements. A combination of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate and exercise bolster strength and bodybuilding.
Supplementation is vital since obtaining the required amount of HMB natural can be challenging. Less than five percent of leucine in the body converts to beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate.
Protein foods usually fall short of the required HMB. To obtain a few grams of the nutrient, it is necessary to eat up to 6,000 avocados. Hence, the need to augment the natural sources of HMB with supplements available online and in physical stores.
Beta-Alanine
Beta-alanine helps minimize fatigue, allowing me to train for longer in the gym. As everyone knows, endurance improves the quality of workouts.
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The supplement comes in the form of an amino acid capable of boosting lean muscle mass gains when combined with resistance training.
Research studies revealed that ingesting four grams of the supplement every day increases muscle mass. The gains observed in a similar study showed increases of approximately one pound or 0.45 kilograms after six weeks of high-intensity interval workouts.
More Benefits of Beta-Alanine
As with protein supplement for 60 year old, beta-alanine enhances athletic ability. The latter comes with two amino acids and elevates muscle carnosine content by up to 80 percent. This benefit complements a boost in physical performance.
Optimum Nutrition Beta-Alanine, Now Sports Beta-Alanine, and PrimaForce Beta-Alanine Powder Supplement are examples of products available on the market.
Nitric Oxide (NO) Boosters
Products like XT Nitric Oxide Supplement are available on Amazon and other stores enable seniors to boost blood flow.
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These supplements dilate blood vessels in a way that maximizes the delivery of water, oxygen, and nutrients to the muscles. In doing so, nitric oxide supercharges the body to improve athletic performance.
As a result, users take advantage of increased energy levels during workouts. High-intensity workouts translate to significant muscle growth. The supplements provide these benefits without delivering nitric oxide directly. Instead, they deliver the molecule as an L-arginine.
In turn, the amino acid converts into nitric acid in the body. L-arginine’s effect in the body includes fat reduction, increased strength, and lean muscle mass gains.
How to Take NO Boosters
To maximize the results, I take between three and five grams of the NO boosters. This dosage entails the intake of various arginine types, including malate, ethyl ester, and alpha-ketoglutarate.
Some manufacturers offer boosters that come with American ginseng, citrulline, and pycnogenol. These ingredients help increase the amount of nitric oxide available in each dose.
Casein Protein Powder
Casein is another protein supplement for 60-year old that prevents catabolism after workouts.
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Although the supplement has a slow digestion rate, it enhances the synthesis of protein similar to whey. As an older adult, I understand the need to improve protein synthesis because aging compromises this vital physiological process.
Thankfully, turning to whey and casein protein supplements after 60 increases muscle gain by maximizing the nutritional uptake. Casein triggers food cravings by making an individual feel unsatiated. This effect on the body enables users to consume more nutritious food and enhance bulking.
How to Take Casein Protein Powder
Experts recommend taking supplements containing micellar casein like Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Micellar Casein Protein Powder. Now Sports Nutrition also offers powders with micellar.
