All seniors, if we live long enough, reach a point where muscle mass drops drastically, leg strength fails, and we wind up in a wheelchair and independent living is over. This change is described as sarcopenia, and actually begins in our early 30s at a modest rate, speeds up in our 60s and makes a pronounced advance for most people by the early 80s.

This from Wikipedia: “The biological mechanism of sarcopenia appears to be in the decreased ability of satellite cells to propagate themselves. Satellite cells are required to fuse into skeletal muscle fibers, and help in settings where repair and regeneration are required. Therefore aging muscle loses its ability to respond to anabolic stimuli, such as insulin, growth hormone, and amino acids. Catabolic stimuli may also play a role: the inflammatory IL-6, IL1-Ra, and TNF-alpha are elevated in elderly people with significant sarcopenia. Many anabolic stimuli are withdrawn in the elderly population. Decreased protein intake in the elderly plays a role: 1/3 of men over the age of 60 eat less than the RDA of 0.8 g/kg. A decline in exercise, a potent stimulus to protein synthesis, also contributes. Hormonal factors may be involved, such as decreased levels of sex hormones, growth hormones, and decreased insulin”. It goes on to point out that the most effective antidote is weight training exercise (where have you heard that before).

In people who exercise regularly, especially those who weight train, the effects of sarcopenia are delayed by decades. But all bodybuilders likewise go downhill eventually, and cannot maintain as much muscle mass into advanced age as they did in their prime. So, what can we take or eat that postpones this loss as long as possible, in addition to weight training?

I am very impressed with the results of Muscletech’s Leukic product as I described last time in this column, because I am growing muscle at a visible rate. Last month I was scanning their ads in a magazine and found their latest development, Anator P-70. Their claim is that the combination of ingredients modifies the genetic limitations of skeletal muscle.

“Anator-p70 activates the key signaling cascades consisting of mTOR, PKB, and p70S6K, which ultimately lead to faster muscle growth Anator-p70 force-feeds signals to your genes, turning on the muscle building process, and at the same time, this same supplement controls FOXO and turns off MAFbx. These are the genetic regulators that prevent muscle growth! This is not hype. This is proven, irrefutable, scientific fact. Anator-p70 works immediately, the first time, every time. Anator-p70 is the most exciting development in the science of muscle growth ever recorded! Anator-p70 is the result of over five years and over a million dollars in research at the University of Nottingham by Team MuscleTech and the leading authority on muscle metabolism research, Dr. Paul Greenhaff.”

I personally haven’t come to know the specifics of those genes, and what they do, but I was impressed with the promises (perhaps too easily). Anator P-70 is designed as a post-workout recovery drink, so I decided to use it as such, as well as Leukic, prior to my workouts. So I now take 6 Leukic upon arising daily, and 6 more before workouts M-W-F, followed by Anator P-70 after the workouts. I’ve been using this for two weeks and I am even more impressed than last time I wrote. I will keep you posted on progress. Here is a link to Muscletech’s information on Anator P-70. You can also find more information on the Bodybuilding.com site if you click their banner on our home page. If you buy from them, hey, we make a small commission.