1. < Bones, Joints & Muscles

Muscle Loss

Posted by sailor1750 @sailor1750, Sep 21, 2017

I am 79 yrs old. Male...I have been VERY active all my life....My arm strength has decreased to the point where I have trouble lifting 20 pounds....
As a young man I was a construction laborer and could easily lift 100 pounds...

My biceps have turned to mush....
I do exercise for my arms daily with light weights and many repetitions....

I just can not gain any muscle ...What`s happening????

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Moderator
Justin McClanahan, Moderator | @JustinMcClanahan | Sep 26, 2017

Hello @sailor1750,

First, welcome to Connect. Second, thank you for sharing a bit about yourself. At 79, it sounds like you are still pushing yourself to stay in shape and remain healthy. While it may not provide all of the answers, here is an article that you may find interesting from Mayo Clinic on diet changes to help muscle loss prevention, http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-blog/seniors-beef-it-up-to-prevent-muscle-loss/bgp-20136508.

@sailor1750, have you discussed this with your current medical provider or nutritionist? If you don't mind sharing, do you have any other limitations like joint issues?

REPLY
1 reply
rosysharon | @rosysharon | Sep 27, 2017

Perhaps it may be more beneficial for you to do fewer repetitions with the weights you use now. And do those reps slowly, 3 sets of 10, lifting up faster than lowering the weights. I just was discharged from physical therapy for foot drop (a side result of hip reconstruction surgery) and need to gain muscle mass in my left leg. Therapists had to give up because I couldn't make any more progress with that foot. I have, however, done lots of arm and shoulder exercises in the past after shoulder replacement. The key to building the bicep muscle mass is to start slowly and add to the weights and repetitions (also slowly). Do your exercises daily. It will come! Sharon (the Bionic Woman)

REPLY
1 reply
sailor1750 | @sailor1750 | Sep 28, 2017
In reply to @rosysharon "Perhaps it may be more beneficial for you to do fewer repetitions with the weights you..." + (show)
@rosysharon

Perhaps it may be more beneficial for you to do fewer repetitions with the weights you use now. And do those reps slowly, 3 sets of 10, lifting up faster than lowering the weights. I just was discharged from physical therapy for foot drop (a side result of hip reconstruction surgery) and need to gain muscle mass in my left leg. Therapists had to give up because I couldn't make any more progress with that foot. I have, however, done lots of arm and shoulder exercises in the past after shoulder replacement. The key to building the bicep muscle mass is to start slowly and add to the weights and repetitions (also slowly). Do your exercises daily. It will come! Sharon (the Bionic Woman)

Jump to this post

Thank you Sharon....I may not be using enough weight ...Reason.I can not feel anything in the biceps unless I do 5 or 6 sets....
Thank you for your input......Lou

REPLY
sailor1750 | @sailor1750 | Sep 28, 2017
In reply to @JustinMcClanahan "Hello @sailor1750, First, welcome to Connect. Second, thank you for sharing a bit about yourself. At..." + (show)
@JustinMcClanahan

Hello @sailor1750,

First, welcome to Connect. Second, thank you for sharing a bit about yourself. At 79, it sounds like you are still pushing yourself to stay in shape and remain healthy. While it may not provide all of the answers, here is an article that you may find interesting from Mayo Clinic on diet changes to help muscle loss prevention, http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-blog/seniors-beef-it-up-to-prevent-muscle-loss/bgp-20136508.

@sailor1750, have you discussed this with your current medical provider or nutritionist? If you don't mind sharing, do you have any other limitations like joint issues?

Jump to this post

Justin....Thank you for replying....

Yes ,I do have Gout...Uric acid levels have been in the normal range for at least 10 yrs ...I take Allopurinol 300mg`s daily and it seems
to work....

At age 69 I had early stage prostate cancer...I chose radiation implants as a treatment....

Because of the PC, have not taken any testosterone or protein supplements..... Lou

REPLY
taktak | @taktak | Oct 3, 2017

Have your vitamin D checked. We got a bowflex exercise machine and I couldn't seem to improve by moving weights up. I was actually getting worse. My vitamin D level was 11ng/ml. It is supposed to be 30mg/ml to 100 ng/ml. I am in my early 40's and couldn't believe it. But an older person and a black person cant absorb vitamin D from the sun very well. Good luck.

REPLY
sailor1750 | @sailor1750 | Oct 4, 2017

Taktak....Thank you for the reply.....Good point ,I have my yearly physical coming up in 2 weeks...I will talk with
my doc....

REPLY
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