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The predominant hormonal response to aging in men is reduced secretion of the hormone testosterone from the testes. Testosterone is the primary anabolic hormone in men. It promotes the gain of new muscle protein, and has other effects as well. Sexual function in older men is directly affected by a reduction in testosterone.
Replacement therapy with testosterone is popular; although therapy is limited by the fact that testosterone cannot be given as a pill. Patches are commonly used to increase testosterone levels, but the amount of the hormone that can be delivered via this route is restrained and insufficient to affect muscle. As a result, only some aspects of testosterone action can be restored with testosterone patches, such as sexual function, which includes both the level of interest in sex as well as the ability to do something about that interest. To increase the concentration of testosterone enough to have an anabolic effect on muscle, testosterone must be injected, usually once per week or once every other week.
The use of testosterone replacement therapy is controversial because there’s concern that any existent prostate cancer may be stimulated by testosterone therapy. This fear arises from the fact that the first line of action in the treatment of prostate cancer is often giving a drug that blocks the action of testosterone on the prostate.
Testosterone replacement therapy carries with it significant risk of adverse responses. If you choose to take these risks and receive hormonal therapy, you will need to bolster its effects with amino acid supplementation. Testosterone is similar to resistance exercise in that it primes the muscle to increase its rate of protein synthesis. An increased supply of building blocks (i.e., dietary essential amino acids) is a prerequisite to producing new protein at an increased rate.
While it is impossible to entirely stop the process of aging, it is definitely possible to slow the progression of muscle loss.
Eating high-quality protein food sources is key. Pack your diet full of eggs, milk, quinoa, red meat, chicken, turkey, and fish.
Be honest about your ability to consume enough protein to meet your needs as you age, especially if you are trying to build or maintain muscle. In America, 30% of people over the age of 65 fail to eat the minimal daily recommended intake of protein. Furthermore, the quality of dietary protein can also decrease, which is why it’s so important to increase your consumption of essential amino acids by incorporating amino acid supplements into your overall dietary pattern.
While essential amino acid supplements (EAAs) can benefit everyone, they are a particularly important component of dietary intake in older people. An EAA supplement can help overcome anabolic resistance, or the inability of the body to adequately build new muscle protein. Further, EAAs are less of a burden on the liver and kidneys than intact protein is.
An EAA supplement not only stimulates muscle protein synthesis, but also activates an increased recycling of nonessential amino acids (NEAAs) back into protein. In contrast, ingested dietary proteins add more NEAAs into circulation. Surplus NEAAs are metabolized by the liver and ultimately produce urea and ammonia, which are excreted in urine by the kidneys. Reutilizing NEAAs in circulation by providing only EAAs means less work for the liver and the kidneys. The kidneys benefit since they do not have to excrete extra urea and ammonia in the urine.
EAA supplements can also help with the problem of insulin resistance so common in older people. One of the characteristics of insulin resistance with aging is that fat accumulates in the liver and limits insulin action as a result. Older individuals have, on average, twice the fat in their livers as they did when they were younger than 30. EAA supplements reduce liver fat in the elderly to the same degree as the most effective medication, and with none of the adverse effects of that medicine. As a result, insulin sensitivity is improved.
A dosage as small as 3.6 grams (the equivalent of 20 grams of high-quality protein) of EAAs can effectively stimulate muscle protein synthesis in elderly people, and when taken over time, this dosage can induce functional improvements. Optimally, two doses per day should be taken. In some circumstances a high dose may be considered. Of course, always discuss with your healthcare provider before adding any supplements to your dietary plan. If your normal diet is relatively deficient in EAAs (e.g., a vegetarian or vegan diet), then larger doses of an EAA supplement are essential.
If you are exercising, the timing of the ingestion of the EAA supplement should be coordinated with the exercise. Take EAAs in the free form with minimal mixing with other nutrients. Powder mixed into a beverage is the most convenient, but capsules can be an effective way to consume part of your dose as well.
