Men and women age differently: Two hidden stories
Today, I want to share with you, from the pen of Dr. Hüseyin Nazlıkul, the surprising and sex-specific effects of aging — an inevitable fact of all our lives — and insulin resistance, one of today's most significant health problems, on our muscles, one of the body's most fundamental building blocks. Recent scientific research clearly demonstrates how these two factors affect our muscles in different ways, and why this information is vital for our health.
AGING AND OUR MUSCLES: A HIDDEN STORY
It is a fact that our muscle mass and strength decline as we age. In medical terms, we call this sarcopenia. However, new research shows that this process is not as simple as it seems, and shows significant differences between the sexes.
Aging in Men: In men, aging leads to a marked decline in muscle mass and contractile strength. This is also associated with a decline in free testosterone levels.
Aging in Women: In women, aging alone may not affect contractile strength as markedly as it does in men. However, a decline in muscle mass is still seen with aging.
So why do these differences matter? Because if we understand how aging affects our muscles, we can also discover how to develop more effective strategies against it.
INSULIN RESISTANCE: THE HIDDEN ENEMY OF OUR MUSCLES
Insulin resistance (IR) is a condition in which our body fails to respond adequately to the hormone insulin. This is usually associated with blood sugar imbalances, but it also has direct and negative effects on our muscles.
Research shows that insulin resistance has significant effects on muscle function. Interestingly, this effect also varies by age and sex:
Insulin Resistance in Young People: In both young men and young women, insulin resistance causes a decrease particularly in fast-twitch muscle fibers (glycolytic fibers, or type II fibers). These muscle fibers are responsible for high-intensity, power-requiring activities. In men, insulin resistance can reduce contractile strength even at a young age.
Insulin Resistance in Older Men: In older men, insulin resistance does not appear to further worsen the muscle mass loss or decline in contractile strength already caused by aging.
The Combination of Insulin Resistance and Aging in Older Women: Here is one of the most striking findings! In older women, the presence of insulin resistance leads to a marked decrease in contractile strength, even in cases where aging itself does not cause a decline in muscle function. What's more, insulin resistance in older women leads to a drop in estrogen levels, further intensifying the muscle loss caused by aging.
These findings emphasize that the effect of insulin resistance on muscle function is not the same in every individual and can vary significantly depending on factors such as age and sex.
Regulation Medicine and Neural Therapy: Protecting Muscle Health with Personalized Approaches
So, in light of this information, what do we, as practitioners of Regulation Medicine, do?
We aim to treat the body as a whole, focusing on each individual's unique needs, in order to find and eliminate the root causes of disease. Taking these differences into account for muscle health as well, we do the following:
THE REGULATION MEDICINE PERSPECTIVE
Individual Assessment: We create a profile tailored specifically to you through a detailed assessment that includes hormone levels (testosterone, estrogen), markers of insulin resistance, and muscle function tests.
Personalized Nutrition: We create a nutrition plan specifically aimed at balancing insulin resistance, which is anti-inflammatory and supports muscle health. Staying away from sugar and processed foods is a vital step for our muscles.
Targeted Exercise: To prevent muscle loss and increase contractile strength, we recommend integrating resistance exercises and strength training appropriate to your age and sex into your lifestyle. Exercises specifically targeting type II muscle fibers are particularly important.
Hormonal Balancing: Since declining hormone levels directly affect muscle health, we apply approaches, where necessary, that support hormonal balance through natural means.
Holistic Support: Taking into account the factors that affect the muscles' regenerative capacity and lead to muscle stiffening (fibrosis), we provide support through treatments that increase the body's overall healing capacity.
THE NEURAL THERAPY PERSPECTIVE
Neural therapy aims to regulate our autonomic nervous system (the body's "autopilot" and the network that maintains balance among all systems). In this way, we can create positive effects on the indirect factors affecting muscle health:
Circulation and Nutritional Support: Through nervous system regulation, we help optimize blood flow and the delivery of nutrients to muscle tissue. Healthy blood flow is essential for the muscles to repair themselves and maintain their function.
Reducing Inflammation and Oxidative Stress: Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress can lead to muscle damage and fibrosis. Neural therapy helps bring these processes under control by establishing systemic balance.
Improving Cellular Communication: Proper functioning of the nervous system ensures healthy communication between muscle cells, which is important for muscle function and regeneration.
Stress Management: Chronic stress disrupts the balance of the autonomic nervous system, negatively affecting many processes in the body. Neural therapy helps manage stress by balancing the nervous system and reactivating the body's natural adaptation mechanisms, which has a positive effect on overall muscle health.
Remember, aging is inevitable, but it is within our power to go through the aging process while protecting our muscles, keeping our energy high, and improving our quality of life. Managing insulin resistance and understanding the needs specific to your sex are among the most important steps you can take on this path.
You can find neural therapy and Hüseyin Nazlıkul's other treatment methods here.