Combine Strength Training And Omega-3 Fatty Acids To Prevent 'Aging'

Following on from my previous post on Charles Eugster, the 93 year old who gave the TEDxZurich on why EVERYONE should continue to strength train and use their bodies into old age, I have another article extract, by Kevin DiDonato MS, CSCS, CES, on strength training for the elderly and how it can be optimised.

One way to stop the age-related decline in muscle loss could be to turn to strength-based exercises.

And with more and more people aging and reaching baby boomer status, the population of older adults who exercise IS EXPLODING.

Strength training progressively promotes overload to your muscles, possibly increasing muscle size and strength.

Muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue, possibly leading to weight loss or even more muscle tone.

Exercise, in general, improves strength and endurance in your muscles, and also put stress on your bones.

And this stress, research suggests, can strengthen your bones, therefore possibly improving, or even preventing, age-related osteoporosis.

And let’s not forget about weight loss.

Increasing muscle tissue has the ability to increase a metabolically active tissue.

And this tissue needs more CALORIES in order to keep you running throughout the day.

Having more lean mass (muscles) could increase your resting metabolic rate, so you could burn more calories throughout the day - even while SLEEPING.

This could potentially improve body composition by burning your fat stores to use as energy.

This may leave you trim and tone way into your golden years.

Omega-3 fatty acids, some clinical research shows, provide even MORE benefits than you already know about.

Researchers in Brazil have possibly discovered AMAZING benefits regarding omega-3 fatty acids and strength training.

It might SHOCK you to know that omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to IMPROVE strength as you get older.



The Research
Researchers in Brazil recruited 45 women with a mean age of 64.

They divided the women into three groups

• Strength training only

• Strength training with omega-3 fatty acids for 90 days

• Strength training with omega-3 fatty acids for 150 days

The researchers wanted to see if omega-3 fatty acids could benefit muscle strength and development.

After 90 days of strength training, the researchers were SHOCKED by their findings.

They noticed that all three groups increased their strength and muscle force.

But more importantly, the group supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids showed SIGNIFICANT improvements in strength than the strength training alone group.

They concluded that strength training DID improve strength in elderly women and in ALL groups, but that groups supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids showed significant improvements in muscle strength AND functional capacity.

Take Home Message

Aging affects everyone differently.

And with the baby boomer population increasing, there are plenty of people looking for the fountain of youth.

Exercise is one way to increase longevity due to altering body composition, blood lipid profiles, strengthening of your muscles and bones.

Omega-3 fatty acids and strength training combined may STRENGTHEN and improve muscle force.

And this could lead to increased lean mass, which may alter your body composition - for the better.

In order to increase your omega-3 fatty acids intake, you should increase your marine (fish) intake and vegetable intake.

You could possibly live a leaner and fuller life throughout your golden years.

Reference:
Rodacki, C. Rodacki, A. Pereira, G. Naliwaiko, K. Coelho, I. Pequito, D. Fernandes, LC. Fish-oil supplementation enhances the effects of strength training in elderly women.  Am J Clin Nutr. 2012.  doi: 10.3945/ajcn..111.021915.