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How to age proof your muscles

Most of the valuable work they do for us has always been taken for granted, until they do not work. Muscle loss due to the effects of poor diet and exercise can start happening to someone in their late 30s to 40s. The first step is to find out your muscle age and adopt ways to age proof with a choice of at home exercise plus food and alternatives (eg. Ensure Gold with HMB for Muscles) rich in vitamins, minerals, and high quality protein like HMB (Hydroxymethylbutyrate).1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

 

What is your Muscle Age?

Your chronological age is based on your calendar years, while your biological age or physiological age is based on strength and performance of the skeletal muscles. You can actually estimate your muscle age by doing a stand-up test developed by Abbott in the Stand4Strength campaign. As a word of caution, do not overexert yourself and only do the test with assistance if you have had any recent injuries or are prone to them.1, 2, 5

           

How to take the Stand Up Test:3, 5

  1. Sit in a comfortable chair where you can place feet flat on the ground.
  2. Cross your arms touching shoulder to shoulder in front of you.
  3. Extend one chosen leg out and stand up from a seated position on the other leg.
  4. Hold it for 3 seconds

 

If you were able to stand up, congratulations! Your muscles are still functioning at the capacity they are supposed to for your age. If you have struggled standing or could not even get up, it is time to make some changes.

 

Exercise is a must for age proofing muscles

If you do not take care of your muscles, not only will you have mobility issues, it will affect your immune system. It is because muscles produce compounds for activation of immune cells. Muscle maintenance does not have to involve complicated equipment. Simple lifestyle changes like these below can help:1

 

  1. Walking 30 minutes per day, 5 days a week
  2. Or 150 minutes a week minimum of your choice of resistance training (eg. squats, leg stands, planking).
  3. Or take one of a plethora of yoga or tai chi classes from various social media platforms.
  4. Which one works for you will depend on your starting physical ability determined by a medical professional.
  5. Have complete and balanced diet

 

Ultimate nutrition for maintaining youthful muscle strength

One of the most important nutrients are high quality proteins and HMB (hydroxymethylbutyrate, a metabolite of essential amino acid leucine).1 From food, HMB can be found in milk, yogurt, soybeans, avocados, beef and chicken. Aside from HMB and protein, do not forget the other essentials like Vitamin A to support the absorption of protein. Or Vitamin B for energizing cells to keep you feeling fresh and phosphorus to support bone repair. Bone health is related to the muscles as the marrow is responsible for new red blood cell production. What is wonderful is that the same or similar variant of fruits, vegetables, and meats you get HMB from, are also great sources for these vitamins and minerals.7, 8

 

Muscle loss may be a natural process, but it does not mean you cannot slow it down and improve the quality of life. But unfortunately, HMB is hard to come by in the amount you need. For example, you would have to eat 50 eggs to get just 1.5 grams of HMB.4 To help you confidently pick up cheerful grandchildren for many years to come, Ensure Gold with HMB for muscles is a breakthrough nutrition for improving muscle strength*. With the confidence of over 45 years of scientific research on adult nutrition, the special formulation of HMB, 28 essential vitamins and minerals, 12 of which supports immunity^, good fats and carbohydrates, age proofing your muscles can be a little simpler with Ensure Gold with HMB for Muscles. For non-milk drinkers, try the new Ensure Gold Plant Based. Made from plant-based soy, quinoa, and brown rice proteins with a great tasting almond flavored, it is another choice to help you stand up for your own strength.

To find out more or to request samples of either, visit Ensure Myanmar today.5, 6

 

 

References:

  1. https://thewellnessinsider.asia/2020/10/maintaining-and-rebuilding-muscle-mass-for-healthy-ageing/?fbclid=IwAR1o5NczmBrSfe87K_geMAqmuQb8pFDefK7ma_Ry8JLyLHy2e5qVREJybwA
  2. https://abbottfamily.com.sg/brands/ensure/stand4strength-muscle-age-calculator
  3. https://abbottnutrition.com.my/products/ensure-gold
  4. https://www.ensure.abbott/za/nutrition/hmb/
  5. https://www.ensuremyanmar.com/eng/stand-for-strength/
  6. https://www.ensuremyanmar.com/eng/ensure-powder/

Additional Readings:

  1. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-a-benefits
  2. https://www.bioanalyt.com/vitamin-b9-phosphorus/

^Ensure Gold contains protein, Vitamin A, B6, B12, C, D, E, Folate and selenium, copper, zinc and iron, that help support the normal function of the immune system.

*Ensure Gold contains scientifically evaluated level of protein which has been shown to improve strength