Impact of Aging on Metabolism & Ways to Increase Metabolism As You Age

A fast metabolism is the key to burning away calories quickly and staying fit and healthy though not all people are blessed with the same. As we start to age, it has a negative effect on our metabolic activity causing it to slow down gradually. Your body’s metabolism decreases considerably after the age of 40 though it may vary from one person to another. It is necessary to know the impact of aging on metabolism and how to increase metabolism with growing age.

In most cases, after you turn 40, your body’s muscle mass begins to reduce while increasing the fat mass considerably. The body slowly begins to lose its efficiency to burn calories quickly as it used to in the past few years.

It will be good to know that an aging metabolism is not very difficult to beat and by keeping certain factors in mind you can increase your metabolism even as you age. Let us first analyze the causes of a slow mechanism as you age.

A negative impact of aging on metabolism is what causes most people to gain weight quickly in their forties or beyond and prevents them from staying as fit as they were before. However, along with the body mass, several other factors also aid the aging metabolism. For example, the capability of the major organs to use up calories easily in your youth decreases as you age. This decreases metabolism and also results in weight gain.

Another factor which plays a vital role on the impact of aging on metabolism is regular physical activity. With age, the ability to perform physical activity decreases which again reduces energy consumption in the body. Less activity results in less work of the muscles resulting in a rapid decline in muscle mass. Blood circulation too is affected with less physical activity, which contributes to the impact of aging on metabolism.

There is yet another factor which contributes to the impact of aging on metabolism. The response of both the muscles and the body to insulin still remains largely a mystery. The main job of the insulin hormone is to regulate the body’s blood sugar level and as a person ages, insulin resistance begins to occur. Instead of storing the fat in the fat cells, as is the case in young people, the body begins to store it in the liver and muscles. This aids the process of the declining metabolism even more.

No matter how great is the impact of aging on your metabolism, it is possible to beat it and stay in shape. Food plays a vital role in keeping you energized day after day and ensuring that your metabolism stays high no matter what. Also, exercising on a regular basis is yet another way in which you can increase metabolism even when aging. Let us analyze each of these factors which help increase metabolism as you age:

• All your meals should comprise of the essential nutrients in the right balance. These include carbohydrates, protein and fat which must be present in the right quantities in the food you eat.
• A healthy breakfast is the key to increasing your metabolism no matter how old you are. Your breakfast should contain a good amount of protein which is essential for maintaining the body’s muscle mass.
• Do not give a lot of gap between two meals. Eat light and non-fried snacks between 2 meals to help boost your metabolism and also reduce excessive hunger during meal times. For example, if you have eaten your breakfast at 9 am and will eat your lunch at 2 pm, take fruits, nuts or have a glass of buttermilk as mid-meal snacks. Another benefit of eating snacks is that it keeps your blood sugar level in check.
• Consume beans and legumes on a daily basis once you turn 40. Being full of protein and fiber, it helps to burn a good amount of calories while also keeping the metabolism strong as ever.
• Drink a minimum of 8 to 10 glasses of water every day as it helps keep you hydrated. It also helps to manage constipation and aids in food digestion but also keeps your metabolism going strong day after day.
• A great way to increase your metabolism as you age is to take green tea every day. It is also quite helpful in reducing the visceral fat in your body.
• If you are mentally stressed, anxious or depressed for any reason, practice yoga and meditation regularly and try to keep your stress in check. Stress helps release the hormone cortisol in your body which in turn causes fluctuations of the hormone insulin. As stress can affect your health and appetite, dealing with stress is the best way to increase your metabolism and stay healthy.
• Instead of giving up to your aging body, make regular physical activity or exercise an indispensible part of your life. It will not only help you burn loads of calories, improve the body’s metabolism and keep you fit but also reduce the overall impact of aging on your body.
• Include good amounts of red meat, port, seafood, beans, dark green leafy vegetables, raisins, peas and apricots in your daily diet. These foods are rich sources of iron which help increase metabolism and help you stay fit and healthy in the years to come.

Though it is an obvious fact that you cannot stop your body from aging and incurring the changes that the latter brings with it, it is also true that eating right, following a healthy lifestyle and performing regular physical activities can help keep you healthy in the long run and also speed up your metabolism to a large extent.

Also Read:

• Metabolic Acidosis: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prognosis, Prevention