Here’s the deal: all those advertisements you see for protein powders and supplements? They are all bull****! With few exceptions, supplements are of limited benefit. Muscle does not grow without a stimulus. Some supplements may help in recovery. Some may help increase the stimulus. But, ultimately, the muscle needs an adequate stimulus to grow. You don’t need supplements to get stronger—even as you age. You simply have to put in the work!
I agree with the assessment (based on the literature) of Dr. Mike Israetel (The Renaissance Diet) that there are 5 classes of effective supplements. These are: whey protein, glycemic carbohydrate supplements, creatine, caffeine, and casein protein. There is nothing fancy or revolutionary about these—no secret formulas. Most importantly, these work only to increase the stimulus and aid in recovery. Thus, they are only as effective as the training the individual is doing!
Before breaking the bank on supplements that are purported to “grow muscle over 50”, hit the gym and do the work. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time to prevent the muscle wasting that is associated with age. It is possible to get stronger—even over fifty. The key is effective effort.
Once you have a training regimen established—that includes adequate nutrition and recovery—the aforementioned supplements may have some added benefit. Whey protein is a great source of protein before, during, and after the workout because its absorption qualities. Casein protein is more slow-absorbing and is better as a late-night source of protein. It is important to recognize, however, that merely consuming quality protein foods throughout the day can provide sufficient protein for most lifters. Caffeine is an effective stimulant for pre-workouts. Most pre-workout supplements on the market are unnecessary and over-priced. A cup of coffee makes better sense. Glycemic carbohydrate supplements (e.g., Gatorade, Powerade, etc.) are useful for those who are training at the more extreme levels (durations and intensities) where muscle glycogen is being significantly depleted. For most of us, though, the carbohydrates in our diet should be sufficient. We should, however, do our best to time our carbohydrate intake to our exercise sessions to increase the likelihood of these carbs going to the muscle instead of fats.
Creatine is probably the first supplement I would recommend to the older lifter. Lifting heavy is going to be most taxing on our immediate energy sources (adenosine triphosphate or ATP; the ATP-PC bioenergy system). Creatine, as phosphocreatine (PC), extends the availability of ATP to fuel muscular contractions. Hence, it enables the lifter to lift more—more weight or more repetitions. It is relatively cheap and has very few known side-effects. We can get creatine in the diet, but supplementation is more effective for building up stores in the muscle.
Bottom line? Adaptation is stimulated in the gym. Growth happens during recover. You can’t have growth without the stimulus. No supplement is going to build or spare muscle without a stimulus. So, if you want to spare muscle mass as you age, lift heavy weights. (Remember: “heavy” is relative to your maximum.) Supplementation only becomes important when your “heavy” starts getting really heavy.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow!
Carpe momento!