Physical decline with old age may not be inevitable

This clip is from episode # 299 of The Drive, Optimizing muscle protein synthesis: the crucial impact of protein quality and quantity, and the key role of resistance training, with Luc van Loon, Ph.D.

In the full episode, they discuss:

- Dietary protein distribution and quantity for the maximization of muscle protein synthesis
- Optimizing muscle protein synthesis: exercise, timing of protein intake, protein quality, and more
- How to preserve muscle while trying to lose weight
- And more

Listen free (ep. # 299) on Peter's website or your favorite podcast player. Become a premium member to access our extensive show notes for this episode.

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About:

The Peter Attia Drive is a deep-dive podcast focusing on maximizing longevity, and all that goes into that from physical to cognitive to emotional health. With over 90 million episodes downloaded, it features topics including exercise, nutritional biochemistry, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health, and much more.

Peter Attia is the founder of Early Medical, a medical practice that applies the principles of Medicine 3.0 to patients with the goal of lengthening their lifespan and simultaneously improving their healthspan.

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[aliceallen]

I'm 68. My advice is to keep moving.

[cgifeqd]

My great grandpa used to say if you stop moving, you rust.His whole back yard was his food garden and still walked to most places on a daily basis. He was rarely sick and didnt use meds, he had been retired for over 40 years and at 104, he just took a nap one day and didnt wake up.

[lynnebucher]

I hired a guy to come to my farm and help me out with a bunch of physical tasks. He admitted he was pushing 80. Was in amazing shape and worked circles around me, and I'm 15 years younger. He said he either lifts weights or hikes every day.

[embeee]

My dad lifted small weights twice a day. He lived to be 94. No walker or cane needed.

[freddyhollingsworth]

My Grandmother made it to 98...still got around like a 60 year old...got to stay busy-she said, chickens, garden, flowers, making quilts, canning, church, volunteer activities like painting houses for the elderly, cooking at the volunteer fire department pan cake breakfast fund raising, working the county fair in the animal section each year, picking up old flowers at the Cemetery and washing the headstones of 400+ people once a year, mowing her own yard with a push mower, even waxing her 1981 Park Avenue weekly....died in her sleep one night in 2008....she was thawing 3 chickens to cook Sunday lunch for all of us after church and then we was going to go put flowers on graves....we cooked the chickens and took the flowers on because she'd of wanted up to...it was still hard on us, but we did it...

[alixptn]

My mom’s cognitive decline accelerated after our dog died and she no longer had to take him out for walks throughout the day.

[RobertSimpson-wppr]

I'm almost 60, I gave up the truck. I bought 3 racing bikes. I live in upstate NY. I bike in the rain, snow and sleet. I don't drive at all. I love biking. It's helping my bad knee, I have more energy. I feel good. I look forward to y 20 commute to work tomorrow morning. I'm a janitor now.30 years ago I ran a fortune 500 company. Today I work 6 days a week, only5.5 hours each day. I love my work, it keeps me active. I live alone, I do have a cat, biking and work is helping me feel confident and complete. Also I love The Lord. The Bible is the only thing I need.

[ifnotnowthenwhen]

My mum 70 looked after 96 years old man.He was determined to go out everyday .He was doing strength exercise regularly He past away during his sleep but he was able to his very last day

[YogaHippie]

I teach people how to unravel a lifetime of bad habits and/or imbalances in the body. I tell them all the time, “you gotta move your body so you can move your body!” I’ve had chronic pain before. It’s no joke. Just don’t stop trying to understand or resolve the pain or immobility. We can facilitate healing in our bodies. Sending love to anyone struggling. ❤

[johnCjr]

Physical or Emotional Traumas wear people’s Spirit down over time .

[carries.]

I have seen so many people retire in their 60's and are gone within 5 years or so. Im 65 and have a very physical job and I'm starting to work out again. Knock on wood, no health issues so far. ❤

[ericrawson]

69 years old. Just spent three hours mixing concrete for garden wall foundations. Use it or lose it is my philosophy on life. Having a rest, can't keep it up all day now!

[Sandy-ofgq]

My grandfather is 94. His health is truly outstanding and I attribute it mostly to an abundance of physical and cognitive activity, very deliberate on his part. He takes no meds btw.

[eric]

I am 65, and have been lifting weights since I was 27. I still have my lean muscle mass. I even snapped my ankle in have 3 years ago and have fully recovered.

[psalmforliberty]

We have to resist the assumption of physical decline, as we age.

Eating a "Kevovore" diet of High healthy Fat, high to medium Protein from animal products (red meat, fish, cheese etc) and low carbs along with unrefined foods.

Avoid seed oils like the plague.
Be properly hydrated.

Walk / hike or ride a bicycle every day possible.

Lift heavy loads, on purpose.

Ask God for strength of resolution to pursue excellence in MIND BODY & SPIRIT.

Thanks for posting this !

[corpsmankind]

I'm about to be 37yo. Quit drinking almost 3 years ago. Did an ironman last year, I'm shooting for a six pack and an ironman at 75 🖖

[AdamJFx]

My grandfather died three months after being admitted to the hospital for a fractured hip. During that time, he shrank, ate almost nothing, and was either suddenly losing his mind, or was heavily drugged at the hospital, because he wasn’t incoherent before he went in. He was thin before going in at around 110lbs, but was 76 lbs when he died. It does seem like they go in for one thing, then go downhill in the hospital and that’s where they die.

[JamesAnderson-ezdf]

Peter, I am in awe of your research and have loved to exercise my entire life, now at 70 years old. Have you ever done research in genetics in aging. My recently departed father lived to 98 years old. He did not exercise, was a little over weight, hardly eat fast food, had Raisin Bran cereal for breakfast/coffee. And, no magic health pills to swallow. He did have a pacemaker.

[rdbm-uozt]

I knew a tenant farmer who worked on a farm until he was 75. In his last few years of working, he could bend a 1/4 " screw driver into a "U", hold a 40 lbs. gas can out in front of him on one straight arm, and unload several wagon loads of 50 lbs. hay bales into the mow in an afternoon. After he moved away into Rideau Heights low-income housing, he lived until he was 99.

[annafoy]

If possible keep moving. Simple, if I want to be an active granny. I must if possible, stay active now in my 50s. Move it or lose it. I take dance classes and dance at home. ❤