7 Top Supplements for Muscle Protection to Support Muscle Growth and Maintenance

There is a significant number of individuals in the UK who have surpassed the age of 100, so why did the media pay special attention to Buster? The reason is that, at 103 years old, he was still employed at a garage washing cars!

How can someone over 100 years old have the strength and stamina needed for such a task?

A mix of genetics, responsive hormones, and good fortune all play a role, but successful aging nowadays is more than just luck. There are plenty of steps you can take regarding diet, supplements, and exercise to help maintain strong muscles as you age. In this piece, we will delve into the top seven supplements for building and preserving muscle mass over the years.

Overview

• Muscle mass peaks in our thirties and then declines, which can lead to sarcopenia, a condition linked to various health issues.
• Creating a plan to stabilize and potentially reverse muscle loss is crucial. This involves consuming nutritious foods and implementing a strength training routine.
• Nutritional supplements are crucial, with seven specific supplements supporting muscle health, maintenance, and growth.

Understanding Muscle Loss with Age

Dr. Suzette Pereira, a researcher specializing in muscle health, stresses that "Muscle health can often indicate how healthy we will be as we age and how long we will maintain our activity and independence.”¹

Our muscles are more critical than commonly thought. They are not just a source of strength; healthy muscles are essential for aging well and are vital for organ function, skin health, immunity, and metabolism. However, maintaining strong muscles becomes challenging as we age without some effort.

Muscle Loss is a Natural Process

Muscle mass peaks around age thirty and then starts to decline. We lose between three to eight percent of muscle mass over the following decades, with this loss accelerating after age sixty. By the end of a lifetime, almost a third of an individual's muscle mass can be lost due to aging. ²

When this muscle loss speeds up beyond normal aging expectations, it is termed sarcopenia, a condition significantly contributing to disability in older individuals, increasing the fall risk and vulnerability to injury. Basic daily tasks such as standing up from a chair or pouring a kettle can become challenging.

Moreover...

Increased Fat Stores Contribute to Inflammation

As muscle mass decreases, fat mass increases. This combination results in higher levels of inflammation in the body, leading to various health issues. Bone density decreases, joint stiffness increases, and insulin metabolism becomes impaired. These changes elevate the risk of conditions like osteoporosis, Type-2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Muscle loss is also associated with reduced cognitive function.

Preventing Muscle Loss

Fortunately, age-related muscle loss can be prevented and even reversed with appropriate lifestyle interventions.

According to Dr. Thomas W. Storer, Director of The Exercise Physiology and Physical Function Lab at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital, "Rebuilding and maintaining muscle requires effort, dedication, and a plan, but it is never too late." ³

The right lifestyle interventions start with nutritional supplements. What can aid in building and preserving muscle mass? There are seven supplements to focus on...

Top 7 Supplements for Muscle Health

#1: Whey Protein

As individuals age, they tend to consume less food, which can lead to energy-protein malnutrition. It is important to ensure adequate protein intake.

You can achieve this by including about three ounces of protein in each main meal. Spreading protein consumption this way maximizes the conversion of amino acids into muscle protein.

If consuming significant amounts of protein-rich foods is unappealing, protein powders are available. Whey protein, containing essential amino acids, has long been recommended by bodybuilders and offers broader health benefits beyond athletic performance for adults of all ages, including seniors.

#2: Vitamin D3

While Vitamin D3 is mainly known for its role in bone health, it also plays a vital role in muscle health. Apart from enhancing testosterone levels, Vitamin D3 benefits muscles in various ways.

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) helps maintain muscle strength and endurance, particularly in older individuals, by facilitating essential cellular signaling that enables muscle cells to communicate and coordinate efforts to stay strong and prevent muscle atrophy. This nutrient also helps prevent muscle cell weakening due to insulin resistance. Studies show that Vitamin D3 not only helps muscle fibers maintain size and strength but also reduces age-related muscle pain.

Australian researchers summarized: “Vitamin D inadequacy or deficiency is associated with muscle fiber atrophy, increased risk of chronic musculoskeletal pain, sarcopenia, and associated falls.”¹¹

However, Vitamin D3 does not work alone. It relies heavily on...

#3: Magnesium

“Vitamin D is not truly effective or safe without magnesium," states Mohammed S. Razzaque, MBBS, PhD, a professor of pathology at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Magnesium is crucial as insufficient levels render Vitamin D ineffective in the body. Additionally, a magnesium deficiency can lead to elevated calcium and phosphate levels, potentially clogging arteries. Notably, nearly half of the U.S. population falls short of the recommended daily magnesium intake.

However, magnesium is not insignificant; it supports normal muscle and nerve function and aids in bone structural development. Several studies show that magnesium supplementation can enhance muscle function.¹²

Both Vitamin D and magnesium work closely with...

#4: Calcium

Known for its importance in bone and tooth health, calcium also plays a vital role in skeletal muscle function and structure, transmitting nerve signals to muscle fibers to facilitate muscle contraction and relaxation.

In a study involving nearly 400,000 individuals aged 38 to 73, those with higher calcium intake had a lower sarcopenia risk. Another study tracking 3,342 participants over 50 for ten years found that individuals with lower blood calcium levels experienced greater muscle loss.¹³

#5: HMB

Surprisingly, it is possible to increase lean body mass, muscle strength, and physical function simply by using a nutritional supplement. While exercise is highly recommended, HMB (β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate), derived from the essential amino acid leucine, possesses anabolic enhancing properties and has been proven to help preserve and even build muscle mass independently.

HMB simultaneously reduces muscle breakdown and promotes muscle tissue growth.

Although it may sound too good to be true, two systematic reviews and meta-analyses concluded that “muscle strength increased in adult patients and muscle strength and function were maintained in older adults with frailty and sarcopenia.”¹⁴

Another review of clinical trials found that “HMB supplementation appears to be a viable option for preserving muscle mass in individuals over 65, particularly in sedentary or bedridden elderly, assisting in reducing muscle breakdown.”¹⁵

#6: Creatine

While the body produces creatine naturally, it is also found in foods like red meat, fish, and dietary supplements. Unlike HMB, the benefits of creatine supplements are most noticeable when combined with resistance training.

Creatine plays a crucial role in storing and releasing cellular energy (adenosine triphosphate) and contributes to maintaining bone mineral density. Its impact is particularly pronounced when individuals aim to optimize their physical performance.

Multiple studies have confirmed that creatine increases muscle mass, aids in muscle recovery post-exercise, and combats age-related muscle loss.¹⁶

#7: Vitamin K2

While vitamin K is renowned for its role in blood clotting, recent research highlights its involvement in regulating energy metabolism within skeletal muscle. Recent studies indicate that individuals with elevated blood vitamin K levels experience “enhanced muscle strength, increased muscle mass, and superior physical performance.”¹⁷ Researchers emphasize that among the three vitamin K forms, vitamin K2 is preferred because “existing evidence underscores the significant role of vitamin K2 in maintaining muscular homeostasis.”

While these supplements are essential for muscle health, your holistic treatment plan should also address hormone imbalances and involve appropriate muscle-building physical activities.

Correcting Hormone Imbalance

The most potent hormone for muscle development is testosterone, an androgen/sex hormone that decreases with age. Around 60% of men over 65 experience reduced testosterone levels compared to their youth, a phenomenon known as andropause. Since testosterone aids in building muscle mass and strength, replenishing this hormone could address muscle loss.

While this can enhance muscle mass, strength, and bone density, it carries potential side effects such as increased blood viscosity—raising the risk of blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes—and heightened prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, which are concerning in terms of prostate cancer prevention.

Is there a safe, natural method to boost testosterone levels? Absolutely. Testosterone decline is more closely related to health issues than aging alone. As noted by David Handelsman, MD, PhD, professor and Director of the ANZAC Research Institute at the University of Sydney, “Age itself does not equate to testosterone deficiency.” It is more likely due to age-related ailments like obesity and heart disease, he explains.

Supplements for Hormone Balance

Experts believe that a healthy, balanced lifestyle is vital for sustaining testosterone levels. This includes regular exercise, a nutritious diet rich in fruits and vegetables, sufficient quality sleep (as poor sleep disrupts normal testosterone production), and a Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) supplement. ⁴ Studies have shown that supplementing with 3,000 IU of Vitamin D3 daily can boost testosterone levels by around 25%.

Many plants contain aromatase inhibitors that prevent the conversion of testosterone to estrogen in the body. ⁵ Some of these plants include:

• Kale
• Collards
• Parsley
• Celery
• Celeriac
• Olive oil
• Red wine
• Tea
• Coffee
• Cocoa

Supplementing with grape seed extract can also aid in aromatase inhibition, and boron mineral has been shown to directly raise testosterone levels in post-menopausal women and healthy men. Foods rich in boron include:

• Avocado
• Broccoli
• Nuts (especially peanuts)
• Grapes
• Apples
• Peaches
• Prune juice

Therefore, opting for natural solutions like these eliminates the need for risky testosterone replacement therapy.

Enhancing Muscle-Building Physical Activity

Inactive individuals face the highest risk of muscle and bone mass loss, coupled with increased fat mass. While older individuals may be less inclined to engage in bodybuilding or weightlifting, a different form of exercise has proven effective in building muscle and enhancing strength in older and even frail adults. This exercise method is known as progressive resistance training (PRT).

Resistance Training for Muscle Defense

In PRT, muscles are exercised against gradually increasing resistance as strength improves. A review of 121 trials concluded that PRT effectively boosted strength in older individuals, enabling them to enhance their performance in activities like walking, climbing stairs, and standing up from a chair.⁶

Another review comprising 49 studies on men aged 50 to 83 following a PRT regimen found a reduction in fat mass and an average gain of 2.4 pounds in lean body mass.⁷ A third review confirmed that “this training approach may be particularly effective in preventing sarcopenia.”⁹

It is crucial for all older individuals, irrespective of health status, to consult their physicians before commencing PRT and receive guidance from a qualified personal trainer who can tailor the training and diet to individual needs and capabilities.

DIY Muscle Building

For those uninterested in this approach, Dr. Storer suggests several activities that can be performed independently to enhance leg strength, subsequently boosting overall muscle power. This involves quickening movements against resistance, such as rising swiftly from a seated position and pushing off stairs more forcefully. Aerobic exercises like walking, running, swimming, and cycling are also recommended. While aerobic activities do not build muscle, they help improve muscle quality by converting amino acids into muscle protein in healthy, independent older adults.

Since older individuals face challenges in protein breakdown and conversion into muscle protein, experts recommend consuming high-quality protein sources like meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy, and fats. Numerous studies have shown that older adults consuming adequate protein exhibit improved physical function, although it does not directly enhance muscle strength. ⁸

PRT and aerobic exercise are recommended, but any physical activity that engages muscles, such as household chores, gardening, and yard work, can be beneficial. The key is to engage your muscles in any way possible.

As physiologist and exercise professor at the University of Arkansas, Michelle Gray emphasizes: “I primarily work with older adults aiming to build and maintain muscle throughout their lives, and the key is to use it or lose it.”¹⁰

Summary

Maintaining muscle mass is crucial for overall health and longevity as we age. Muscle loss, a natural aspect of aging, can lead to conditions like sarcopenia, which heightens the risk of falls, cognitive decline, and chronic diseases. However, a combination of lifestyle interventions, including strength training, hormone balance, and targeted nutritional supplements, can help mitigate these effects. Seven essential supplements—whey protein, vitamin D3, magnesium, calcium, HMB, creatine, and vitamin K2—play vital roles in preserving muscle strength, enhancing metabolism, and reducing inflammation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does HMB contribute to muscle growth?

Yes, scientific literature has demonstrated that HMB can aid in muscle growth.

What is the best supplement for muscle-building after 50?

Every system in the body requires a range of nutrients to function optimally, and muscles are no exception. While various nutrients are crucial for muscles, vitamins D and K