Aging affects all of us and health expert Dr. Rhonda Patrick doesn’t underestimate the power of lean muscle tissue. In a recent YouTube video, Dr. Patrick discusses why it is best to acquire as much muscle as possible while you’re young to fight back against atrophy later in life.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick is responsible for groundbreaking work in a handful of fields related to health, fitness, and biology. She has thoroughly examined the effects of micro and macronutrients, constantly offering the public free and easy-to-access information about health optimization.
Having collaborated with esteemed professionals in the world of fitness and health like Dr. Peter Attia, Dr. Brad Schoenfeld, and neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman, Dr. Patrick is devoted to wellness efforts. In her latest endeavor, she broke down why stacking as much muscle as possible while you’re young will pay dividends when you’re older.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick Explains Why You Should Put On As Much Muscle As Possible While Young
According to Dr. Patrick, muscle mass peaks in most individuals around 20 to 30 years of age. However, due to the natural aging process, we begin to see an 8 percent drop-off in muscle each decade. Once you reach 70, that number increases to 12 percent per decade.
Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!
“Muscle mass peaks around 20 to 30, and then after that, you start to lose about 8 percent per decade until you get to 70; it’s 12 percent per decade. But strength decreases are even greater than that.
So what happens when you reach the age of 50? Your anabolic resistance is starting to kick in right? You’re not being as sensitive to the protein intake.”
She acknowledges that people can still gain muscle as they age, but it will be proportionately less than when they were younger. Given that atrophy comes with aging, Dr. Patrick believes it is ideal to add as much muscle as possible so there’s more to ‘pull from.’
“You really have to rely more on the mechanical force of stimulating muscle protein synthesis as the form of increasing muscle mass and hypertrophy. Is there a time when you won’t gain any muscle?
I think you’ll continue to gain; it just won’t be as much. You’re really battling atrophy at that point too. So, the more you can contribute earlier, the more you’ll have to pull from,” explains Dr. Rhonda Patrick.
The degradation of muscle tissue remains one of the most talked-about subjects within the fitness and bodybuilding community. Health expert and former seven-time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger has been open about why poor sleep is the silent killer of muscle gain.
“Diet and exercise get all the attention, but if you’re not recovering correctly, your results might not match your effort.”
Oftentimes, we think lifting heavy is a precursor to building extra muscle, but fitness expert Dr. Schoenfeld mentions that hypertrophy can be achieved by lifting lighter loads using adequate intensity.
“The caveat to this is the lighter loads have to be taken with a high degree of effort. If you do not extensively challenge your muscles meaning the last few reps are difficult to complete, you’re not going to achieve gains.”
Dr. Rhonda Patrick believes it’s best to gain as much muscle as you can while young due to the atrophy that comes later in life. While she adds that individuals of all ages can build muscle, she underscores that it’s more challenging to keep it as we get older.
RELATED: Dr. Rhonda Patrick Explains How To Design an Exercise Routine for Longevity
Watch the full video from the FoundMyFitness YouTube channel:
You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
YouTube for even more content.
