Aging gracefully and improving quality of life remain top priorities for cell biologist Dr. Rhonda Patrick. In a recent YouTube video shared on December 5, 2024, she explained how ‘higher muscle mass’ can decrease the risk of early death by 30 percent. She also discussed how to combat ‘anabolic resistance’ as we become older.
Having collaborated with names like Joe Rogan, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and Dr. Peter Attia, Dr. Patrick’s grasp of fitness, health, longevity, and nutrition makes her uniquely qualified to break down scientific studies into easy-to-understand lessons. She is the architect behind the successful FoundMyFitness YouTube channel, which boasts over 542,000 subscribers.
Dr. Patrick regularly exercises and shares the secrets behind optimal living, whether she is inviting fans into her kitchen for a full day of eating or unveiling the reasons behind her daily supplement stack. She has previously explained the four ‘major players’ for muscle mass, and now, took a look at how improved body composition and protein intake can combat the aging process.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick Discusses How to Overcome ‘Anabolic Resistance’ and Building Muscle to Prevent Injuries as We Age
In her latest endeavor on YouTube, Dr. Patrick dived into how cultivating a higher level of muscle mass can decrease the risk of early death as we age. According to Dr. Patrick, our muscle mass tells us more about handling age than body weight and BMI.
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“How much muscle we have tells us more about how we are aging than body weight and BMI ever could.”
Not only will protein aid muscle growth and strength, but when combined with strength training, it can equate to a better metabolism, enhanced insulin sensitivity, and serve as a good defense against type 2 diabetes.
“Dialing in that protein intake matters for both muscle mass and strength when combined with resistance training,” she shares.
“More muscle doesn’t just mean more strength, it means better metabolism, enhanced insulin sensitivity, and a pretty good defense against Type 2 diabetes. It also dramatically decreases fragility and the risk for sarcopenia. One of the main risk factors for falls and fractures in older adults.”
Those who suffer from ‘fragility’ fractures as they age are twice as likely to die compared to those without the ailment.
“Research has shown that individuals who suffer from a fragility fracture are twice as likely to die compared to those without such fractures. Between 22 and 58 percent of people with a hip fracture, pass away within just 12 months after the injury,” she shared.
Better body composition not only dramatically improves quality of life and reduces disability, but higher muscle mass can also lower the likelihood of early death by 30 percent.
“A better body composition dramatically improves the quality of life and reduces disability risk. Having a higher muscle mass can decrease the risk of early death by 30 percent.”
As we age, the body is less responsive to amino acids, therefore, to stimulate muscle protein synthesis, additional protein is needed.
“As we age, our muscles become less responsive to amino acids, meaning they don’t trigger muscle protein synthesis in response to protein intake as effectively. So, for older individuals, the same amount of protein results in a smaller increase in muscle protein synthesis compared to younger people.”
“Some studies have shown that an older person requires twice as much protein for the same response. For example, around 0.24 grams of protein per kilogram body weight or 0.1 grams per pound, that’s 20 grams of protein for about an 80-kilogram man, maximally stimulates muscle protein synthesis in someone young.”
Dr. Patrick suggests that 20-35 grams of protein per meal can help people of older ages maintain or increase muscle mass.
“This suggests that the optimal amount of protein per dose is between 20 and as high as 35 grams of protein, depending on your personal level of anabolic resistance.
This means a few things: the first is that if you’re older, you need a higher total daily protein intake to maintain or increase muscle mass. It also means that you need a higher dose of protein at each meal to stimulate muscle protein synthesis.”
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