Nobody likes to talk about the aging process. We see and feel every day the physical consequenses of growing older and that's enough for most of us. No need to emphasize that.

But a good understanding of how our body changes over the years gives us the opportunity to foresee and provide for those changes. A pro-active attitude towards the aging process makes it possible to postpone or delay a decline in our physical abilities for many years.

The changes in muscular strength have the greatest impact on our activities of daily living (ADL). Until the age of 60 we experience a gradual decline in strength. After the age of 60 the decline goes faster. Women lose more muscle mass than men and the muscle loss is greater in the lower extremities than upper extremities.

The average loss of muscle mass after the age of 45 is 6.6 lbs every 10 years.

The obvious consequence of a decline in muscle mass is that we find it more difficult to carry things, climbing stairs, lifting items and performing intricate movements like getting in or out of a car. Other consequences are often problems with balance, posture and locomotion.

Less obvious is the fact that a decline in the functioning of many body systems directly is related to a decline in muscle mass.

Some examples:
One pound of muscle is responsible for the burning of 50 to 100 calories a day. Less muscle mass means a lower metabolic rate resulting in an increase of body fat and problems with maintaining the right body temperature.

When muscle mass decreases, so does bone density. Especially women are at risk as they lose bone faster than men. Joints are deteriorating at the same time and tendons and ligaments get stiffer.

The less muscle mass, the lower the need for supply of blood containing oxygen and nutrients and the lower the overall condition of the cardiovascular and respiratory system. This, combined with the fact that due to the aging proces blood vessels become rigid, also results in an increase in blood pressure.

And what is true for the body systems I mentioned above is also true for other systems in our body, like the gastrointestinal system and the nervous system.

All of the body systems have in common that their functioning deteriorates proportionally with the loss of muscle mass.

The good news is that the opposite is true too; an increase in muscle mass improves the functioning of all our internal organs dramatically. 
If the muscular system improves, the rest of the body systems will have
no other "choice" but to follow.

In other words; the best way to deal with the consequences of the aging proces is by increasing muscle mass, established through properly performed strength training exercises.

The words "strength training" shouldn't scare you off. I'm not talking about hours of strenuous training several days a week. Only one workout a week is already enough to increase muscle mass and to experience the benefits.   

You can go to a gym to for a workout, but you can do them at home too. Alone, with your partner, with a friend or in a group. Exercising is good for you, is a pleasure to do and gives you a great feeling afterwards.

A decline in muscle mass due to the aging process is inevitable but many of the muscular system function losses are related more to a lack of proper physical activity. Therefore, strength training is a must, especially for older adults.

It is the key to maintain independency and to experience the best quality of life possible.