#524: Strength & Fitness Levels for Reducing Chronic Disease Risk & Promoting Health Ageing – Jordan Feigenbaum, MD
Jun 4, 2024
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Dr. Jordan Feigenbaum discusses strength training and fitness levels for healthy aging and disease prevention. Topics include optimal exercise intensity, muscle mass vs. strength, designing effective training programs, and the importance of cardio fitness. Learn how to increase healthspan through actionable exercise interventions.
Combining resistance and cardiorespiratory training is vital for healthy aging and disease prevention.
Strength, not muscle mass, is a better predictor of health outcomes and functional ability.
Loss of strength impacts daily tasks more than loss of muscle mass, emphasizing the importance of strength training.
Balancing exercise intensity and enjoyment is essential for long-term adherence and maximizing health benefits.
Deep dives
Importance of Strength for Healthy Aging
To maintain healthy aging and reduce chronic disease risk, incorporating strength training becomes crucial. Programs that focus on improving both muscular strength and cardiovascular fitness are effective in enhancing health span. Strength levels play a significant role in determining an individual's health trajectory, with higher strength levels being associated with a lower risk of diseases and improved longevity.
Muscle Mass vs. Strength Connection
While muscle mass and strength are related, the correlation between them is not as strong as commonly believed. Strength, rather than muscle mass, seems to be more predictive of an individual's functional ability and overall health status. Research suggests that increasing strength, even without substantial muscle mass gain, leads to improvements in health outcomes like blood pressure and blood sugar control, showcasing the importance of strength in maintaining good health.
Impact of Strength on Muscle Function and Sarcopenia
In the context of sarcopenia and muscle function decline, the loss of strength has a more immediate and significant impact on an individual's ability to perform daily tasks than the loss of muscle mass. Poor muscular function, often seen in sarcopenia, is a critical factor affecting independence and overall functionality. Strength training that focuses on improving muscular force production is essential in preventing functional decline and maintaining quality of life.
Complexity of Muscle Mass and Strength Relationship
The relationship between muscle mass and strength is complex, influenced by various factors such as genetics, neuromuscular adaptations, and training methodologies. While muscle mass plays a role in strength, it is not the sole determinant of strength levels, as evidenced by individuals with high strength-to-mass ratios. Understanding the interplay between muscle mass, strength, and functional ability is crucial in designing effective exercise programs for maintaining health and functional independence over time.
Training for Muscle Strength and Mass
Increasing muscle mass is associated with increases in strength, with training and genetics playing significant roles. Functional training can be beneficial for long-term health and mobility, focusing on movements that mimic everyday tasks. A diverse exercise selection that targets different movement archetypes and rep ranges is key for overall muscle strengthening and development.
Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Training
Cardiorespiratory fitness involves the heart, lungs, and circulatory system supporting energy production during physical activity. Testing methods like VO2 max and functional tests can approximate cardiovascular fitness. High cardiorespiratory fitness predicts lower risk of adverse health events, with training showing reliable improvements. Balancing exercise intensity, variety, and progression is crucial for effective cardiorespiratory training.
Enjoyable Exercise and Long-Term Adherence
Making exercise enjoyable and sustainable is crucial for long-term adherence. Emphasizing fun and individual preferences in training can help maintain engagement and consistency. Using subjective scales like RPE can guide intensity levels, making workouts more engaging. Striking a balance between challenging oneself and enjoying the process is essential for sustained physical activity.
When aiming for healthy aging and reducing chronic disease risk over the lifecourse, exercise, specifically a combination of resistance training and cardiorespiratory fitness, has a fundamental role to play. In addition it can mitigate age-related declines and support independence in later years.
A strong evidence base exists showing the benefits of increased strength and cardiorespiratory fitness on a range of important outcomes related to lifespan and healthspan. But some intriguing questions remain, such as:
How strong is strong enough?
At what point do we maximize the benefits of exercise?
How “fit” do we need to be?
Is simple participation enough or do we need a true training adaptation?
How can this actually be implemented in practice so that it is doable?
In this episode, Dr. Jordan Feigenbaum shares his insights on this topic and offers advice on how we can increase our probability of a long healthspan, through exercise interventions.
