Muscle building from 20 to 70 years

The human musculature is not only responsible for our physical performance, but also plays a central role in metabolism, postural stability, protection against injuries and quality of life in old age. But how does our muscle mass develop over the decades? When is muscle building most effective? And what can be done to prevent age-related loss?

In the twenties, the body and hormone balance are in their optimum phase for muscle growth. Testosterone levels are high, growth hormones have a supporting effect and the ability to regenerate is excellent. If you do regular strength training and eat a protein-rich diet during this phase of your life, you can significantly increase muscle mass in a short space of time.

Forms of training such as classic hypertrophy training with moderate weights (70-85% of maximum weight) and 6-12 repetitions per set are particularly effective in this phase. At the same time, attention should be paid to sufficient sleep, stress management and a balanced diet - all of which have a significant influence on the build-up process.

From around the age of 30, the body begins to gradually lose muscle mass - if no countermeasures are taken. The age-related decrease in protein synthesis is around 0.5 to 1 % per year. The good news is that with targeted strength training, this decline can not only be halted, but also reversed.

At this stage of life, the focus is not only on building muscle, but also on maintaining it. A good training routine with regular strength training - at least two to three times a week - is important. Functional training that promotes balance and coordination can also provide valuable impetus here.

From the age of 50 at the latest, inactive people experience a significant loss of muscle strength and mass - a process medically known as sarcopenia. The muscles not only lose volume, but also quality and reaction speed. This is accompanied by an increasing risk of falling and reduced mobility in everyday life.

But here too, age-related muscle loss is not an irreversible fate. Studies clearly show that even people in old age can still build up muscle mass and strength - as long as they exercise regularly. Strength training therefore remains the method of choice even in your 50s and 60s. This should be accompanied by an appropriate protein intake (at least 1.2 to 1.8 g/kg body weight daily), an adequate supply of vitamin D and, if necessary, the use of targeted nutritional supplements (e.g. creatine, leucine).

Even in the seventh decade of life, targeted training and nutrition are crucial to maintaining physical autonomy. The combination of strength training, balance exercises and everyday movement is particularly important. Exercises on equipment, with your own body weight or with Therabands can be customised and carried out regularly.

The recovery time is longer, so training breaks should be consciously planned in. The important thing is that the intensity can - and should - remain challenging. This is because older muscles also respond to training stimuli - just a little more slowly.

Nutritional supplements are no substitute for a good workout or a balanced diet - but they can be a crucial building block for maintaining muscle mass and vitality in certain phases of life. Especially in old age, targeted products such as creatine, leucine or EAAs make sense in order to overcome the anabolic threshold and slow down age-related muscle loss. It remains important: Quality, individuality and medical consultation - especially in the case of pre-existing conditions.