For many people, age 50 is now the new 40. However, the mid-life crisis for bone health comes a lot sooner typically hitting its victim between the ages of 25 and 30 when the body stops building bone and bone density begins to slowly decline leading to increased risk for breakage.
It’s not just muscle that wastes away as we age (if we are not training) but along with the loss of muscle comes weakened bones and weakened bones increase the risk of fractures.
Without strong muscles pulling on the bones they are attached to, there is no need for the bones to remain strong so osteoporosis sets in.
When most people hear the word osteoporosis, they immediately think of women. And, it’s true that this disease does strike women more than men but osteoporosis strikes men as well as women. In fact, over 200 million people worldwide have some level of the disease causing a rising silent epidemic of hip, vertebra, wrist and other osteoporosis related fractures each year.
Osteoporosis is a disease where the bones become fragile and break easily and is one of the world’s most devastating and common chronic diseases.
Believe it or not, this disease strikes one in five men (more than prostate cancer) worldwide. Because bone is living tissue which renews itself continuously, it requires regular stimulation from vigorous physical activity. Like muscles, bones should be used regularly or they will weaken and deteriorate.
Without intervention on our part when we lose one we also lose the other. One of the most effective ways to reduce the stress on our weakening bones is to increase our muscle strength with strength training exercise.
Doing this kind of exercise signals the body to stimulate bone formation to strengthen and rebuild bones in response to the increased resistance from the muscles being exercised. Such activity also builds muscle strength, coordination and balance which can help prevent falls and related fractures.
When muscles and bones begin deteriorating, the bits that sit between the bones and allow us to move our limbs, joints, ligaments and tendons become stiff, painful, tight and easily injured.
Men in their 40s and 50s start to get joint problems…the tricky knee, bad back or old shoulder problems suddenly start acting up.
The problem is usually the loss of the strengthening, supporting and protecting effect of strong muscles around the joints. As muscles tissue continues to be lost the entire skeleton loses support and things start to sag on to each other causing more wear and tear. Posture becomes more stooped and pain and stiffness increase in the back/spine and other joints.
Osteoporosis and joint issues are just two of the many problems that surface as we age. There are other physical changes over time as reflexes become slower and coordination suffers, the gait gets slower and steps shorter. Even the brain slows down as well, declining in function and memory lapses can crop up at embarrassing times.
As bad as all this seems, it does not have to happen to you. With the right exercise program, in as little as 12 weeks and a bit of effort, you can recover 75 percent of lost muscle tissue and 40 percent of lost muscle strength and get your health back on track.
If you’ve reached your forties and you’re feeling as though your manhood is being siphoned away, I can help with my “Strong Men Stay Young” program for men that covers everything from diet and exercise to hormones.
As part of the gay life after 40 tribe, we are all in this together: http://www.gaylifeafter40.com/Strong Men , Stay Young
