resistance exercise

Which Exercise Is Best For Reducing Blood Pressure?

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How Can You Keep Your Blood Pressure Under Control? 

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney 

high blood pressureHypertension (high blood pressure) is called a silent killer. That’s because you often don’t notice any symptoms until you die from a stroke or heart attack.

Nearly half of all American adults (120 million or 48%) have high blood pressure. Of Americans with high blood pressure:

  • About half (46%) of them don’t know it.

And of those who know they have high blood pressure:

  • Only half of them have it under control.
    • In case you weren’t doing the math, that means that only 1 in 4 Americans with high blood pressure has it under control.

That is scary because every 20 mm Hg increase in systolic blood pressure:

  • Doubles your risk of death from a stroke or heart attack.

And if the personal costs of high blood pressure were not enough, the cost of high blood pressure to our health care system is enormous.

  • The CDC estimates that the cost of high blood pressure in the United States is around $131 to $198 billion per year. And this may be an underestimate because it does not include productivity losses from non-fatal illnesses caused by high blood pressure.

Medications are effective at reducing blood pressure, but they have significant side effects. And those side effects have two unintended consequences.

  • Around half of patients stop taking their blood pressure medication within the first year because of side effects or cost.
  • For patients who continue taking blood pressure medication, they are usually prescribed other medications to reduce the side effects from their blood pressure medication.

This is often the start of a downward spiral in which they need more medications to reduce the side effects of the medicines they were just prescribed. And they end up on multiple medications, and a poor quality of life because of it.

Because of this, many patients and health care practitioners are looking for natural ways to keep blood pressure under control. One of the most recommended approaches is to increase exercise, and the type of exercise most frequently recommended is aerobic exercise.

But is that the best advice? That advice is based on clinical studies performed 20 to 30 years ago. And those studies were an excellent example of “the tail wagging the dog”.

Let me explain. In the early days most experts believed that aerobic exercise would be the most effective exercise for reducing blood pressure. So, most of the original studies on the effect of exercise at reducing blood pressure were done using aerobic exercise.

From those studies we knew that aerobic exercise was effective at reducing blood pressure, but we didn’t really know whether it was the most effective exercise for reducing blood pressure. And more recent studies have suggested a more nuanced view of exercise and blood pressure control.

For that reason, the authors of the current article (JJ Edwards et al, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 57: 1317-1326, 2023) decided to conduct a comprehensive review of all randomized controlled studies between 1990 and February 2023 on the effect of exercise on reducing blood pressure.

How Was The Study Done? 

clinical studyThe investigators performed a comprehensive, systematic review of all randomized controlled studies (meaning patients were randomly assigned to an exercise or non-exercise group) looking at reductions in blood pressure following an exercise intervention of ≥ 2 weeks.

They excluded studies that:

  • Included dietary counseling or exercise recommendations in the control group.
  • Included dietary counseling, supplementation, or medication in the exercise group.

However, there were no exclusions based on the health or disease state in the patient population.

Their analysis included 270 randomized controlled trials with a total of 15,827 participants. All the studies reported systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure before and after the exercise intervention.

Exercise interventions were divided into five classifications:

  • Aerobic exercises.
  • Resistance exercises.
  • Combined exercises (a combination of aerobic and resistance exercises).
  • High-intensity interval exercises (high-intensity, short-duration exercises).
  • Isometric exercises.

Several of these exercise classifications were further subdivided into individual exercises (see below)

Which Exercise Is Best For Reducing Blood Pressure? 

When the reduction in systolic blood pressure was considered, the rank order of exercise effectiveness was:

  • High-intensity interval exercise (4.08 mm Hg reduction).
  • Aerobic exercise (4.48 mm Hg reduction).
  • Resistance exercise (4.53 mm Hg reduction).
  • Combined aerobic and resistance exercise (6.04 mm Hg reduction).
  • Isometric exercise (8.24 mm Hg reduction).

When the reduction in diastolic blood pressure was considered, the amount of reduction was less but the rank order of exercise effectiveness was the same:

  • High-intensity interval exercise (2.50 mm Hg reduction).
  • Aerobic exercise (2.53 mm Hg reduction).
  • Resistance exercise (3.04 mm Hg reduction).
  • Combined aerobic and resistance exercise (3.54 mm Hg reduction).
  • Isometric exercise (4.00 mm Hg reduction).

When the exercise classifications were subdivided into individual exercises.

  • Running and cycling were significantly more effective than walking for aerobic exercise, with running being the most effective form of aerobic exercise.
  • Cycling was the most effective form of high-intensity interval exercise.
  • No effect of exercise type was seen for the effectiveness of resistance training.
  • Isometric wall squats and leg extensions were much more effective than isometric handgrip exercises.

There was not enough data from diastolic blood pressure studies to subdivide into individual exercises.

There were two other results of interest.

  • Aerobic exercise interventions were slightly more effective with lower exercise frequency, suggesting that 3 times a week may be more effective than 5 or more times a week.
  • All exercise interventions were much more effective for people with significantly elevated blood pressure than for people with slightly elevated blood pressure or normal blood pressure.

Of course, the important question for people with normal blood pressure is the effectiveness of exercise in preventing future increases in blood pressure, and this study is not designed to answer that question.

The authors concluded, “Various exercise training modes improve resting blood pressure, particularly isometric exercise. The results of this analysis should inform future exercise guideline recommendations for the prevention and treatment of arterial hypertension.”

What Does This Study Mean For You? 

Question MarkThe takeaways from this study are clear.

If you wish to reduce your blood pressure:

  • Any kind of exercise is helpful, but current recommendations that prioritize aerobic exercise may be misleading.
  • If you want to get the most “bang for your buck”:
    • Isometric exercise is the most effective and high intensity interval exercise is the least effective.
    • Aerobic and resistance exercise are equally effective.
    • A combination of aerobic and resistance exercise is more effective than either alone.
  • And if you want to know the most effective individual exercises:
    • Wall squats and leg extensions are the most effective isometric exercises.
    • Running and cycling are the most effective aerobic exercises.
    • Any kind of resistance exercise is equally effective.

Here are my thoughts about this study:

  • If you haven’t been keeping up with clinical studies on exercise and blood pressure (like me), the conclusions of this comprehensive review are probably a surprise. I would not have expected isometric exercises to be more effective than aerobic exercises for lowering blood pressure.
  • The authors of this review postulated that isometric exercise decreases blood flow to the muscles involved. When those muscles relax, blood flow increases which sends metabolic signals that cause blood vessels to relax.
  • This study is good news for people with health conditions that limit their ability to do aerobic exercises or traditional resistance exercises.
  • We also need to remember that lowering blood pressure is not the only value of exercise.
    • Aerobic exercise improves cardiovascular function.
    • Resistance exercise increases muscle mass, which is particularly important for seniors who are trying to maintain muscle mass and function. Regular resistance exercise also helps minimize bone loss as we age.

Isometric exercise can be considered a form of resistance exercise, but it may need to be supplemented with resistance exercises that target other muscle groups.

  • As I said above, this study shows that all forms of exercise reduce blood pressure. The most effective exercise for you is the one you enjoy and will do on a regular basis.
  • Finally, while this study looked at the effectiveness of different exercises at reducing high blood pressure, these findings are probably also applicable to the types of exercise that can reduce risk of developing high blood pressure as we age.

How Can You Keep Your Blood Pressure Under Control?

dash dietExercise alone is not a “magic bullet” for controlling blood pressure. And therein lies a story.

One reason so many people choose medications to control their blood pressure is that there is no “magic bullet” natural approach for controlling blood pressure. Exercise is just one part of a holistic approach for controlling blood pressure that also includes:

  • The DASH (Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension) was designed to prevent high blood pressure. I refer to it as an Americanized version of the Mediterranean diet.

Both diets are rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and limit high fat meats and dairy products. And both diets have been shown to reduce the risk of high blood pressure.

  • Weight control. Overweight and obesity are both associated with increased risk of high blood pressure. One estimate is that every two pounds of weight gain increases blood pressure by 1 mm Hg.
  • Supplementation. The most effective supplements appear to be:
    • Omega-3 fatty acids.
    • Supplements containing grape seed extract and/or nitrates from beetroots and leafy greens.
    • Calcium and magnesium if dietary intakes are not optimal.

Diet, weight control, supplementation, and exercise are the top 4 lifestyle factors for keeping blood pressure under control, but a comprehensive holistic approach to controlling blood pressure includes:

  • Low sodium/potassium ratio. I mention it here for completeness, but it is an integral part of the DASH diet.
  • Stress management. Chronic stress can increase blood pressure.
  • Adequate sleep.

We may be outliers, but my wife and I have followed this approach for years and in our 80s have the blood pressure of teenagers.

The Bottom Line 

Most experts recommend aerobic exercise for reducing blood pressure, but these recommendations are based on outdated studies. A recent study examined the effectiveness of various exercises at reducing blood pressure based on all randomized controlled clinical trials between 1990 and 2023.

This study shows:

If you wish to reduce your blood pressure:

  • Any kind of exercise is helpful, but current recommendations that prioritize aerobic exercise may be misleading.
  • If you want to get the most “bang for your buck”:
    • Isometric exercise is the most effective and high intensity interval exercise is the least effective.
    • Aerobic and resistance exercise are equally effective.
    • A combination of aerobic and resistance exercise is more effective than either alone.

For more information on this study, what it means for you, and recommendations for a holistic approach for controlling blood pressure naturally, read the article above.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

______________________________________________________________________________

My posts and “Health Tips From the Professor” articles carefully avoid claims about any brand of supplement or manufacturer of supplements. However, I am often asked by representatives of supplement companies if they can share them with their customers.

My answer is, “Yes, as long as you share only the article without any additions or alterations. In particular, you should avoid adding any mention of your company or your company’s products. If you were to do that, you could be making what the FTC and FDA consider a “misleading health claim” that could result in legal action against you and the company you represent.

For more detail about FTC regulations for health claims, see this link.

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/health-products-compliance-guidance

_____________________________________________________________________

About The Author 

Dr. Chaney has a BS in Chemistry from Duke University and a PhD in Biochemistry from UCLA. He is Professor Emeritus from the University of North Carolina where he taught biochemistry and nutrition to medical and dental students for 40 years.  Dr. Chaney won numerous teaching awards at UNC, including the Academy of Educators “Excellence in Teaching Lifetime Achievement Award”.

Dr Chaney also ran an active cancer research program at UNC and published over 100 scientific articles and reviews in peer-reviewed scientific journals. In addition, he authored two chapters on nutrition in one of the leading biochemistry text books for medical students.

Since retiring from the University of North Carolina, he has been writing a weekly health blog called “Health Tips From the Professor”. He has also written two best-selling books, “Slaying the Food Myths” and “Slaying the Supplement Myths”. And most recently he has created an online lifestyle change course, “Create Your Personal Health Zone”. For more information visit https://chaneyhealth.com.

For the past 45 years Dr. Chaney and his wife Suzanne have been helping people improve their health holistically through a combination of good diet, exercise, weight control and appropriate supplementation.

Can You Build Muscle in Your 80s?

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What Does It Take to Build Muscle in Your 80s?

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

As we age it becomes harder to build muscle, so we start to lose muscle mass and strength, a physiological process called sarcopenia. In last week’s issue of “Health Tips From the Professor” I shared studies showing it was possible to slow, and even reverse, age-related loss of muscle mass in our 60’s and 70’s with the correct combination of resistance exercise, protein, and leucine.

But what about those of us in our 80s? Here recent studies have not been as reassuring. The results have been mixed, with some studies suggesting it is impossible to maintain muscle mass in our 80s.

But we know that it is possible for some people to maintain their muscle mass and accomplish incredible physical feats in their 80s. For example, those of you who are my age or older may remember Jack LaLanne, the so-called “Father of the Fitness Movement” who had a popular fitness show on TV from 1953 to 1985. He celebrated his 80th birthday by swimming one and a half miles in the Long Beach harbor towing 80 rowboats with 80 people in them.

Was Jack LaLanne a “freak of nature” or was it his incredible dedication and focus that allowed him to perform incredible physical feats in his 80’s? After all:

  • He ate only whole, unprocessed foods. He did not allow processed foods, fast foods, or convenience foods to cross his lips.
  • He did two hours of high-intensity workouts every day until the day before he died at age 96 in 2011.

More important is the question of what his physical feats mean for us. Does his example hold out hopes for all of us who wish to maintain our strength and vigor until the Lord calls us home? Or did he set a standard too high for mere mortals like us to achieve?

That is essentially the question that today’s study (GN Marzuca-Nassr et al, International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 34: 11-19, 2024) set out to answer.

The authors postulated that previous studies with subjects in their 80s came up short because they included infirm subjects in their studies and/or the intensity of exercise was too low. This study was designed to overcome those shortcomings.

How Was This Study Done?

clinical studyThe investigators recruited 29 healthy, elderly adults (9 men and 20 women) who were either 65-75 (average age = 68) or over 85 (average age = 87) who were still living in the community rather than being institutionalized for health reasons. The average BMI was 26.4 (moderately overweight) for both groups.

The participants selected for the study had not engaged in any kind of regular resistance training in the previous 6 months. The study excluded individuals with any kind of heart disease, health conditions, or physical limitations that would prevent them from participating in the resistance exercise training program associated with this study.

Participants were asked to fill in a three-day dietary recall at the beginning and end of the study. They were asked not to change their habitual dietary intake or physical activity during the study The diet recall at the end of the study showed compliance with this request. Their dietary intake was calculated based on the average of the two diet recalls.

No significant difference in macronutrient content of the diet was found between groups. For example, the 65-75 group consumed 1.1 g of protein/kg of body weight/day, and the over 85 group consumed 1.2 g of protein/kg of body weight/day.

Both groups were enrolled in a 3-times/week resistance exercise program for 12 weeks. The exercise training program was designed as follows:

  • Warm up consisted of 5-minutes on a cycle ergometer followed by full range of motion upper limb movements and one warm up set on both leg press and leg extension machines.
  • This was followed by 4 sets on the leg press and leg extension machines and 2 sets of upper body exercises (chest press, lat pulldown, and horizontal row).
  • Cool-down consisted of 5 minutes of stretching exercises.

Just prior to the study, the maximum strength on each exercise machine was determined for each participant. The intensity of their workouts was increased from 60% to 80% of that maximum over the 12 weeks of exercise training.

The outcomes of the study were as follows:

  • Quadriceps (the muscles on the front of the thigh) cross-sectional area was measured at the beginning and end of the study.
  • Whole body lean mass and appendicular lean mass (The lean mass in legs and arms) were measured at the beginning and end of the study.
  • The maximum strength for one repetition on each exercise machine was measured at the beginning and end of the study.

The increase in quadriceps cross-sectional area, lean mass, and strength was compared for the 65-75 group and the over 85 group.

Can You Build Muscle In Your 80s? 

Frail ElderlyAt the beginning of the study, the over 85 age group scored lower in every category measured in this study. For example:

  • Quadriceps cross-sectional area was 7% less in the over 85 age group than in the 65-75 age group.
  • Leg extension strength was 10% less in the over 85 age group than in the 65-75 age group.

This loss of muscle mass and strength is to be expected. Although the over 85 age group was consuming enough protein, they were not exercising on a regular basis. Consequently, they were experiencing sarcopenia, age-related loss of muscle mass.

The results of this 12-week resistance exercise intervention were impressive.

  • Quadriceps cross-sectional area increased by 10% in the 65-75 age group and by 11% in the over 85 age group. These increases were not statistically different.
    • Quadriceps cross sectional area increased for everyone in the study, but the increase varied widely from individual to individual.
    • The increase varied from 1% to 18% in the 65-75 age group and from 6% to 21% in the over 85 age group.
  • Whole body lean muscle mass increased by 2% in both the 65-75 and over 85 age groups.
  • Appendicular lean muscle mass (lean muscle mass in the arms and legs) also increased by 2% in both groups.
  • Leg extension strength increased by 38% in the 65-75 age group and by 46% in the over 85 age group.
    • Once again, the increase in leg extension strength varied considerably from individual to individual. The increase varied from 5% to 76% in the 65-75 age group and from 26% to 70% in the over 85 age group.
  • Similar results were seen for leg press, lat pull down, chest press, horizontal row, and grip strength.

The authors concluded, “Prolonged [12 week] resistance exercise training increases muscle mass, strength, and physical performance in the aging population, with no differences between 65-75 and 85+ adults. The skeletal muscle adaptive response to resistance exercise training is preserved even in male and female adults older than 85 years.”

What Does It Take To Build Muscle In Your 80s?

Why did this study show a benefit of resistance exercise for building muscle mass in octogenarians when previous studies have come up short? The authors postulated this was due to differences in the subjects included in the study and the intensity, frequency, and duration of resistance exercise.

  • This study included only healthy, community dwelling seniors who could engage in a rigorous training program. Some previous studies included institutionalized seniors who may have been less healthy and more frail.
  • The resistance exercise training used in this study involved multiple sets on exercise machines three times a week at 60-80% of maximum intensity for a total of 12 weeks. Previous studies included 1-2 sets, once or twice a week, at lower intensity, and for a shorter duration.

Much more research needs to be done, but the take-home lessons appear to be:

1) It is possible to increase muscle mass in your 80s with sufficient protein and a sufficiently intense resistance exercise program.

2) Not every 80-year-old adult will be able to increase their muscle mass. At the very least, this and previous studies suggest that frail, institutionalized men and women in their 80s may not be able to increase their muscle mass.

    • Whether this is because their health conditions interfere with their muscle’s ability to build muscle, or they are simply unable to perform the high intensity exercises required to build muscle mass in their 80’s is unclear. More research is needed. While everyone in this study increased muscle mass and strength, the increase varied widely from individual to individual (see above).

My guess is that some of the people in the study did not get enough protein in their diet to support an increase in muscle mass at 85 and older. The over 85 group averaged 1.2 gm of protein/kg body weight/day, but their intake ranged from 0.8gm/kg/day to 1.6 gm/kg/day.

However, the difference in gain of muscle mass and strength could have been due to almost anything. Unfortunately, this study was too small to reliably determine what caused the differences in response to the resistance training.

3) It may require a high intensity resistance exercise program to increase muscle mass in your 80s. Unfortunately, there are very few studies like this for people in their 80s. All we know is that this was a high intensity, high frequency, and long duration resistance exercise program, and it worked. Studies with lower intensity exercise programs have not worked. But nobody has done a study comparing the effectiveness of different intensity exercise programs for people in their 80s.

4) There are too few studies on what it takes for people in their 80s and beyond to stay fit and healthy. The authors of this report argued that this information is vital for guiding government programs designed to support an aging population. It is equally important for all of us who want to remain fit and healthy in our 80s and beyond.

What Does This Study Mean For You?

good news bad newsIn my previous “Health Tips From the Professor” I have discussed multiple studies looking at sarcopenia or age-related muscle loss.

The bad news is that we start losing muscle mass and strength around age 50, and the rate of decline starts to accelerate in our 60s and beyond. This is a normal part of aging. It affects all of us. And if left unchecked, it can have devastating effects on our quality of life in our golden years.

The good news is that we can slow and even reverse the age-related loss of muscle mass by a combination of adequate intake of protein, adequate intake of the essential amino acid leucine, and resistance exercise. Leucine intake is usually adequate when we rely on animal proteins as our main protein source but may be a concern if we rely primarily on plant proteins. So, let’s take a deeper look at protein and exercise requirements.

  1. We need more protein to build muscle in our golden years than we did in our 30s. If you want more information on the studies supporting that statement, go to https://chaneyhealth.com/healthtips/ and type sarcopenia in the search box. Most experts in this field of study recommend around 1.2 gm of protein/kg of body weight/day rather than the RDA of 0.8 gm of protein/kg of body weight/day for people 65 or older who wish to maintain or increase muscle mass. This study suggests that 1.2 gm/kg/day is also sufficient for people who are 85 and older.

Previous studies have shown that the protein is best utilized to preserve muscle mass when it is spread evenly through the day. That is a concern because many seniors get most of their protein in the evening meal. The article I shared last week showed that adding 20 grams of supplemental protein to the low-protein meals (typically breakfast and/or lunch) was sufficient to balance protein intake and minimize age-related muscle loss.

[Note: To help you with the calculations, 1.2 gm of protein/kg of body weight/day is equal to 0.54 gm of protein/pound of body weight/day. Some quick calculations show that amounts to 78 grams if you weigh 140, 95 grams if you weigh 170, and 112 grams if you weigh 200. Or to simplify, that amounts to 25-30 grams of protein/meal for most people – more if you weigh above 170 pounds.]

2) We need a higher intensity of resistance exercise to build muscle in our golden years than we did in our 30s. Several previous studies have hinted at that possibility. This study shows that a high intensity resistance exercise program is effective at building muscle mass for people 85 and above. Previous studies suggest that lower intensity exercise programs are not effective in this age group. 

This is an important finding because it is opposite to the usual recommendations for this age group. In the words of the authors, “At an advanced age, people are generally recommended to partake in low-intensive physical activities. We strongly advocate that resistance exercise should be promoted without restriction to support more active, healthy aging.”

Of course, the caveat is that this study excluded frail, institutionalized adults and people with health or physical limitations that would prevent them from participating in a high-intensity resistance exercise program.

So, here are my recommendations:

  • Discuss your desire to implement a high intensity resistance exercise program with your health professional. Ask them about any health issues or physical limitations that would affect the exercises you choose.
  • Ask your health professional to refer you to a physical therapist to design a high-intensity exercise program you can do at home that is appropriate to your health and physical condition. If the referral comes from your health professional, these sessions may be covered by insurance.
  • If you want to utilize the exercise equipment in a gym, start by having a personal trainer knowledgeable about working with people like you design a workout program for you. My personal preference is to continue working with a personal trainer who challenges me to maximize the intensity of my training while taking into account any temporary physical limitations I may be experiencing.

Finally, I recognize that the exercise program described in this study may be too intense for many of my readers. But I also suspect that none of you want to become so frail you can’t enjoy your golden years. So, do what you can. But do something.

The Bottom Line

Most Americans lose lean muscle mass as they age, a physiological process called sarcopenia. This loss of muscle mass leads to reduced mobility, a tendency to fall (which often leads to debilitating bone fractures) and a lower metabolic rate – which leads to obesity and all the illnesses that go along with obesity.

Fortunately, sarcopenia is not an inevitable consequence of aging. There are 3 things we can do to prevent it.

  • Optimize resistance exercise training.
  • Optimize protein intake.
  • Optimize leucine intake.

Last week I talked about optimizing protein and leucine intake. This week I review an article that compared the effectiveness of a 12-week high intensity resistance exercise program for increasing muscle mass and strength with people in the 65-75 age group with those who were age 85 and above.

The results of this 12-week resistance exercise intervention were impressive.

  • Quadriceps cross-sectional area increased by 10% in the 65-75 age group and by 11% in the over 85 age group. These increases were not statistically different.
  • Whole body lean muscle mass increased by 2% in both the 65-75 and over 85 age groups.
  • Leg extension strength increased by 38% in the 65-75 age group and by 46% in the over 85 age group.
  • Similar results were seen for leg press, lat pull down, chest press, horizontal row, and grip strength.

The authors concluded, “Prolonged [12 week] resistance exercise training increases muscle mass, strength, and physical performance in the aging population, with no differences between 65-75 and 85+ adults. The skeletal muscle adaptive response to resistance exercise training is preserved even in male and female adults older than 65 years.”

“At an advanced age, people are generally recommended to partake in low-intensive physical activities. We strongly advocate that resistance exercise should be promoted without restriction to support more active, healthy aging.”

For more details about the study and what it means for you, read the article above.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

______________________________________________________________________________

My posts and “Health Tips From the Professor” articles carefully avoid claims about any brand of supplement or manufacturer of supplements. However, I am often asked by representatives of supplement companies if they can share them with their customers.

My answer is, “Yes, as long as you share only the article without any additions or alterations. In particular, you should avoid adding any mention of your company or your company’s products. If you were to do that, you could be making what the FTC and FDA consider a “misleading health claim” that could result in legal action against you and the company you represent.

For more detail about FTC regulations for health claims, see this link.

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/health-products-compliance-guidance

 ______________________________________________________________________

About The Author 

Dr. Chaney has a BS in Chemistry from Duke University and a PhD in Biochemistry from UCLA. He is Professor Emeritus from the University of North Carolina where he taught biochemistry and nutrition to medical and dental students for 40 years.  Dr. Chaney won numerous teaching awards at UNC, including the Academy of Educators “Excellence in Teaching Lifetime Achievement Award”. Dr Chaney also ran an active cancer research program at UNC and published over 100 scientific articles and reviews in peer-reviewed scientific journals. In addition, he authored two chapters on nutrition in one of the leading biochemistry text books for medical students.

Since retiring from the University of North Carolina, he has been writing a weekly health blog called “Health Tips From the Professor”. He has also written two best-selling books, “Slaying the Food Myths” and “Slaying the Supplement Myths”. And most recently he has created an online lifestyle change course, “Create Your Personal Health Zone”. For more information visit https://chaneyhealth.com.

For the past 45 years Dr. Chaney and his wife Suzanne have been helping people improve their health holistically through a combination of good diet, exercise, weight control and appropriate supplementation.

How Much Leucine Do Seniors Need?

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Where Can Seniors Find The Protein And Leucine They Need?

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney 

Frail ElderlyMost Americans lose lean muscle mass as they age, a physiological process called sarcopenia. There are three factors that influence the rate at which we lose muscle mass as we age:

  • Our physiology changes. Our bodies break down our protein stores more rapidly and we have a harder time utilizing the protein in our diet to replenish those protein stores.
  • We become less active. In some cases, this reflects physical disabilities, but all too often it is because we are not giving weight-bearing exercises the proper priority in our busy lives.
  • Our diets have become inadequate. A major driver of this phenomenon is loss of appetite which results in decreased caloric intake. However, physical disability, isolation, and insufficient income also contribute.

Some of you may be saying “So what? I wasn’t planning on being a champion weightlifter in my golden years.” The “So what” is that loss of muscle mass leads to reduced mobility, a tendency to fall (which often leads to debilitating bone fractures) and a lower metabolic rate – which leads to obesity and all the illnesses that go along with obesity.

Fortunately, sarcopenia is not an inevitable consequence of aging. There are things that we can do to prevent it. The most important thing that we can do to prevent muscle loss as we age is to exercise – and I’m talking about resistance (weight) training, not just aerobic exercise.

But we also need to optimize our protein intake and our leucine intake. Protein is important because our muscle fibers are made of protein.

Leucine is an essential amino acid. It is important because it stimulates the muscle’s ability to make new protein. Leucine and insulin act synergistically to stimulate muscle protein synthesis after exercise.

In a previous issue of “Health Tips From the Professor” I shared studies showing that the amount of protein and leucine we need to prevent muscle loss increases as we get older. The study (ME Lixandrao et al, Nutrients, Volume 13, Issue 10, 10.3390/nu13103536) I am reviewing today is an update on the leucine needs for seniors.

How Was This Study Done?

clinical studyThe investigators recruited 67 healthy, elderly, overweight adults (34 men and 33 women; average age = 69.7; average BMI = 26.4) in Basel, Switzerland for the study. The participants selected for the study were not engaged in any kind of regular resistance or aerobic training in the previous 6 months.

Participants were asked to fill in three 24-hour dietary recalls (2 on non-consecutive weekdays and one on a weekend day). A trained nutritionist gave instructions on how to perform the dietary recalls. After the dietary recalls were completed, the nutritionists used pictures of foods included in each participant’s diet recall to confirm the accuracy of their portion size estimates. This diet information was used to calculate habitual daily protein and leucine intake.

The investigators used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure quadriceps cross-sectional area – a measure of muscle mass. They also used performance on a leg extension machine to measure unilateral maximum dynamic muscle strength – a measure of muscle strength.

The study correlated leucine intake with both muscle mass and muscle strength. The data were corrected for sex, age, and total protein intake normalized to body weight.

How Much Leucine Do Seniors Need? 

leucineThere was a biphasic correlation between leucine intake and both muscle mass and muscle strength in this population.

  • There was a positive association between leucine intake and muscle mass up to 7.6 gm/day. After that a plateau was reached. Additional leucine had no effect on muscle mass.
  • There was a positive association between leucine intake and muscle strength up to 8.0 gm/day. After that a plateau was reached. Additional leucine had no effect on muscle strength.
  • These associations held true even after correcting for total protein intake. This is an important control because none of these participants were taking a leucine supplement, so those consuming more leucine were also consuming more protein.

The authors concluded, “We demonstrated that total daily leucine intake is associated with muscle mass and strength in healthy older individuals, and this association remains after correcting for multiple factors, including overall protein intake. Furthermore, our…analysis revealed…a potential threshold for habitual leucine intake, which may guide future research on the effect of chronic leucine intake in age-related muscle loss [sarcopenia].

Randomized control trials should test the utility of additional leucine to counteract frailty in the elderly.”

What Does This Study Mean For You?

ConfusionLet me start by saying that leucine is not a “magic bullet” that will prevent sarcopenia (age-related loss of muscle mass) by itself. Three things are essential for preventing sarcopenia:

  • Resistance (weight bearing) exercise. You should aim for at least 3 days/week of moderate intensity weight bearing exercise a week.

If you have physical limitations, consult with your health professional before beginning an exercise program. And if you have not done weight bearing exercise before, it is best to start with instruction from a personal trainer to be sure you are using appropriate weights and appropriate form.

[Note: The participants in this study had not done weight bearing exercise for 6 months prior to the study and did not exercise during the study.]

  • Adequate protein. I have discussed this in a previous issue of “Health Tips From the Professor”. If you are in your 30’s, 15-20 grams of protein per meal will do. But if you are in your 60’s and above, it’s better to aim for 25-30 grams of protein per meal.

[Note: On average the men in this study were consuming 87 grams of protein per day. That’s 29 grams per meal. The women in this study averaged 67 grams of protein per day or 22 grams per meal. So, most of the participants in this study were consuming adequate protein.]

  • Adequate leucine. This study showed that the benefits of leucine plateaued at around 7.6-8.0 grams per day or 2.5 to 2.7 grams per meal for non-exercising adults in their 60’s and 70’s.

This is in close agreement with studies showing that 25-30 grams of protein and 2.7 grams of leucine were optimal for seniors in this age range following weight bearing exercise.

[Note: This study only determined the optimal intake of leucine. Remember for maximal effectiveness at reducing age-related muscle mass (sarcopenia) you need optimal protein, optimal leucine, and an optimal resistance (weight bearing) exercise program.]

Where Can Seniors Find The Protein And Leucine They Need?

For most Americans this is not too difficult as the table above shows. If you look at single foods, chicken and soybeans are the best sources of both protein and leucine. Other meats and other beans & legumes are also good choices.

I included things like eggs, dairy foods, broccoli, and spinach as a reminder that you don’t need to get all your protein and leucine from a single food source. Other whole foods included in your meal can contribute to your protein and leucine totals.

This table also shows that you don’t need to be a carnivore to get the protein and leucine you need. However, if you avoid most meats or are a pure vegan, you will need to plan your diet a bit more carefully.

Finally, if you are looking to optimize your workouts with an after-workout plant-based protein shake, soy protein would be your best choice. If you chose plant protein, you should look for high-quality protein shakes with added leucine to make sure you meet both your protein and leucine goals.

The Bottom Line

Most Americans lose lean muscle mass as we age, a physiological process called sarcopenia. This loss of muscle mass leads to reduced mobility, a tendency to fall (which often leads to debilitating bone fractures) and a lower metabolic rate – which leads to obesity and all the illnesses that go along with obesity.

Fortunately, sarcopenia is not an inevitable consequence of aging. There are 3 things we can do to prevent it.

  • Exercise – and I’m talking about resistance (weight) training, not just aerobic exercise. This is the most important thing that we can do to prevent muscle loss as we age.
  • Optimize our protein intake.
  • Optimize our leucine intake.

Previous studies have determined the optimal protein intake for preventing sarcopenia. The study I describe above determined the optimal leucine intake.

For more details about the study and what it means for you, read the article above.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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My posts and “Health Tips From the Professor” articles carefully avoid claims about any brand of supplement or manufacturer of supplements. However, I am often asked by representatives of supplement companies if they can share them with their customers.

My answer is, “Yes, as long as you share only the article without any additions or alterations. In particular, you should avoid adding any mention of your company or your company’s products. If you were to do that, you could be making what the FTC and FDA consider a “misleading health claim” that could result in legal action against you and the company you represent.

For more detail about FTC regulations for health claims, see this link.

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/health-products-compliance-guidance

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About The Author 

Dr. Chaney has a BS in Chemistry from Duke University and a PhD in Biochemistry from UCLA. He is Professor Emeritus from the University of North Carolina where he taught biochemistry and nutrition to medical and dental students for 40 years.  Dr. Chaney won numerous teaching awards at UNC, including the Academy of Educators “Excellence in Teaching Lifetime Achievement Award”. Dr Chaney also ran an active cancer research program at UNC and published over 100 scientific articles and reviews in peer-reviewed scientific journals. In addition, he authored two chapters on nutrition in one of the leading biochemistry text books for medical students.

Since retiring from the University of North Carolina, he has been writing a weekly health blog called “Health Tips From the Professor”. He has also written two best-selling books, “Slaying the Food Myths” and “Slaying the Supplement Myths”. And most recently he has created an online lifestyle change course, “Create Your Personal Health Zone”. For more information visit https://chaneyhealth.com.

For the past 45 years Dr. Chaney and his wife Suzanne have been helping people improve their health holistically through a combination of good diet, exercise, weight control and appropriate supplementation.

Health Tips From The Professor