Results of a recent study in rats suggests that seniors can help to keep their muscles toned and healthy be following a low-calorie diet. Loss of muscle strength and tone is often seen as an inevitable part of the aging process, however results of a recent study suggest that we may be able to do something to prevent this. For the study graduate student researcher and his colleagues studied two groups of rats, one who were able to eat as much as they liked and another whose diet had 40% fewer daily calories. Results showed that the rats fed an unrestricted diet had relatively flabby muscles by the time they were 26-months old – the rat equivalent of 75 to 80 human years – however the rats fed a low-cal diet were lean and toned. Payne suggests that people should think about a low-calorie diet in middle age, however he stressed that exercise – in particular resistance training – is the key to maintaining muscle mass into old age.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.reutershealth.com on the 24th April 2002
