How to keep your muscles and bones fighting fit
Staying healthy and feeling your best is important at any age – and your muscles and bones play an important role in that. Here’s how to keep them strong through the years.
Ageing might be inevitable but there are plenty of actions you can take to ensure you can keep doing the things you love, no matter your age.
At the top of the list is doing what you can to stay fit and active as you grow older.
Engaging in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most days and including muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days each week can help you stay physically and mentally strong.
Looking after the health of your muscles and bones is an important part because both gradually lose mass and muscle strength through the ageing process, which may make exercise more difficult.
What happens to our muscles and bones as we get older?
It’s no secret our bodies change as we age, impacting our muscles and bones – important structures that help provide support during movement.
After 45 years of age we may begin to lose muscle gradually at a yearly rate of 1 to 2 per cent, and strength by 2 to 5 per cent.
By the age of 80, the average person can expect to lose roughly 30 per cent of their muscle mass and 50 per cent of their muscle strength.
A similar trajectory is seen with bone health. After roughly 30 years of age, we begin to gradually lose bone mass each year, which accelerates for women during menopause.
The nutrients you need for good muscle and bone health
There are several rock-star nutrients that should be part of your everyday diet to support your muscle and bone health as you get older.
These include whey protein, a fast-digesting, high-quality protein containing all nine essential amino acids necessary for repairing and building muscles.
There’s also the compound leucine, an essential amino acid, that is a powerful activator of new muscle formation.
Vitamin D is necessary for normal muscle growth and bone structure. Finally, calcium can enhance bone mineral density and support bone health.
All of your muscle-supporting nutrients in one easy package
FortiFit Muscle + Bone is a fortified whey protein powder, packed with all of these essential nutrients needed to support muscle and bone health as you age.
In three delicious flavours — vanilla, chocolate, and coffee — it’s easily incorporated into your diet by adding four scoops to a glass of water (125ml) once a day.
Each serve of FortiFit Muscle + Bone contains 20g of whey protein isolate, 2.8g leucine and 20µg vitamin D to help stimulate muscle growth, and 503mg of calcium to support healthy bones.
FortiFit Muscle + Bone is brought to you by Nutricia, who believe that ageing shouldn’t define how you live your life – helping your body keep up with you, so you can keep fit and active at every age.
* This post is brought to you by FortiFit Muscle + Bone. FortiFit Muscle + Bone is a food for special medical purposes for the age-related loss of muscle strength, mass and function and must be used under medical supervision. Supplementation should not replace a balanced diet.
