Losing Muscle With Age? Vitamin C Could Be Part of the Solution

By Editorial Staff

We've talked about it before, but it deserves repeating because so many people fail to heed the warnings: You lose muscle as you age – even if you work out religiously. As we get older, it becomes increasingly challenging to maintain, much less build, muscle mass like you could when you were younger. If you don't do anything to prevent that age-related decline, it can lead to major health issues, because it's not just the size of your muscles that wanes with age - it's also muscle function and strength.

Fortunately, research suggests exercise and diet can help preserve muscle mass with age to the highest degree possible. A new study explores another option, nutritional supplementation – specifically vitamin C – that can also play a key role in muscle preservation. The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, found that among more than 13,000 middle-aged to older adults (ages 42-82), those with the highest levels of vitamin C in their diet or blood also had the greatest estimated muscle mass compared to those with the lowest levels.

Remember, you're going to lose muscle mass every year after age 30 or so. You don't want that to happen, but it's going to happen. When you talk to your doctor about ways to help counteract this natural aging process, don't forget to mention vitamin C, because it appears to be an important part of a healthy lifestyle that will keep your muscles – not to mention the rest of your body – healthy into your Golden Years.