The problem: you are getting more forgetful and your memory just isn’t what it used to be.
A little known cause of dementia and cognitive decline in older adults is sarcopenia.
What the heck is SARCOPENIA?
Starting in your 50’s and progressing forward the symptoms are gradual loss of muscle fibers and a loss of motor neurons that fire them.
Overall weakness, loss of stamina and a slowing of muscle function in the activities of daily living are signs that you have this problem.
So an average male who weighs 180 at age 60 might lose as much as 10 pounds of much needed muscle by the time he reaches 70!
Not good if you want to remain independent and do all the fun stuff in life into your 70’s and beyond.
But the good news: you can turn that around through exercise using resistance training from weights, bands, body weight or gym machines.
But you ask how does this have anything to do with dementia or cognitive decline?
It’s a surprising answer.
A study from the Journal of the American Geriatrics society in January of 2021 came to the conclusion that a loss of strength and not just muscle mass was associated with higher incidents of Alzheimer’s , mild cognitive impairment and cognitive decline.
They measured grip strength in 1,175 adults over 70 years of age and followed them for five years.
The weaker the grip, the higher the incidence of brain decline.
The important distinction is that you can have muscle mass ( and look great in a t-shirt)- but sarcopenia robs us of the type 2 muscle fibers responsible for being strong and able to react quickly in order to prevent falls and move freely as you did in your younger years.
And it was the loss of those type 2 muscle fibers that researchers found drove the association of sarcopenia and predicting cognitive impairment.
So what is the solution?
Here is what I would offer you as the best way to increase your chances of staying strong in both mind and body:
1) Do some form of resistance training at least twice a week.
You must do at least two times to get the benefits.
If you are new to exercise I would recommend hiring a trainer for a few sessions to get you started and help you to avoid injury. You can also go to you tube to get some good ideas.
2) If you are an experienced exerciser you need to engage in modified power training and up the intensity of what you are doing in a safe and smart way.
Power training is the most important thing older adults can do to maintain strength and brain function.
Power training simply means moving a weight or your body quickly and explosively for a set number of reps. And no- you will not look like an Olympic power lifter if you do this.
3) Eat your meals loosely based on the Mediterranean diet to give your brain the nutrients it needs to function at full capacity.
4) Avoid processed foods and excess sugars – these are the enemy of optimal vascular functioning of the brains circuitry.
5) Finally make sure you are getting enough sleep and having a lot of fun in your life!
All these things are important and make a difference in your mental, emotional and bodily health.
You want to have good quality of life right up to the end!
How do you put it all together?
I am here if you have any questions. I would be glad to help.