Muscle Gain Impossible After 40 - Fact or Fiction?

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AddA2UDE
AddA2UDE Posts: 382
in Health and Weight Loss
So, this guy at work was talking yesterday how he has read "many" books that say it is impossible for a man over 40 to gain muscle. I'm not buying that at all. I REALLY wanted to throw the BS flag but I couldn't find any studies via a Google search that either supported or debunked his theory. Do YOU know of any studies on this topic? Of course, this is the same guy who weighs 315, says he is the heaviest he has ever been, and continues to give me advice on how I can lose more weight than I already have. So, as you can imagine, I have a tough time buying what he is selling anyway.

Replies

  • mandasimba
    mandasimba Posts: 782 Member
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    Well she isn't a man, but given that it is harder for women to build muscle, I'd like to use Ernstine Shepard as an example of his bs :p

    http://ernestineshepherd.net/

    It is far to early for studies (early as in early a.m. to me and I haven't had any coffee), but I'm sure you can find a ton of human examples of how wrong he is.

    ETA: found lots of articles, but like most things on a quick internet search, they never list their sources :p
  • circusmom
    circusmom Posts: 662 Member
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    Again not a man but Tosca Reno didn't pick up her first dumd bell till she was 40, and look at her now!! Also check out bodybuilding.com, I read an article about lifting after 40.
    And your co-worker is an idiot!! I have definitely put on some muscle since I started lifting and (god I hate to admitt this) I'm over 40.
  • trelm249
    trelm249 Posts: 777 Member
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    I am 41 and have gained 6 pounds of lean mass in the past 3 months. My diary is public if you want to see how I train.
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
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    I have no proof, but I'm pretty sure people can gain muscle after 40. I know it gets a lot harder as you get older, but my dad is 63, and he's in better shape than anyone I know.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    Have you seen tony horton? He is in his 50's and has tons of muscle. It may take longer but your body always has the ability to gain muscle mass.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,708 Member
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    So, this guy at work was talking yesterday how he has read "many" books that say it is impossible for a man over 40 to gain muscle. I'm not buying that at all. I REALLY wanted to throw the BS flag but I couldn't find any studies via a Google search that either supported or debunked his theory. Do YOU know of any studies on this topic? Of course, this is the same guy who weighs 315, says he is the heaviest he has ever been, and continues to give me advice on how I can lose more weight than I already have. So, as you can imagine, I have a tough time buying what he is selling anyway.
    Well, being 47 and an avid bodybuilder, I will have to agree with him to a point. If you've never lifted before in your life and you start at 40, you may gain a little, but because testosterone plays such a big part in anabolism, the less you have the harder it is to gain. That's why women don't gain muscle like a man does because of the lack of testosterone.
    Now I said "to a point". You CAN gain sufficient muscle after, but will probably need some HRT to do it.
    There was a time I considered steroids, but after seeing many a bodybuilder shrink to nothing once they got off, I chose to do it naturally. I have a couple of people I associate with in their 40's and 50's who are lean and ripped, but they are juiced. Will I consider it about 10 years? Maybe. Nothing is written in stone at this time.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,708 Member
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    Have you seen tony horton? He is in his 50's and has tons of muscle. It may take longer but your body always has the ability to gain muscle mass.
    I'm almost sure that Horton is moderately enhanced. The conditioning he supports with full muscle bellies is not probable for men over 50.
  • dnsrmr
    dnsrmr Posts: 99 Member
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    That's so NOT true. Look @ Angela Bassett. She's way over 50 & looks better than some 20yr olds I've seen. She's an avid exerciser. Some people's kids huh? LOL
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,708 Member
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    That's so NOT true. Look @ Angela Bassett. She's way over 50 & looks better than some 20yr olds I've seen. She's an avid exerciser. Some people's kids huh? LOL
    That doesn't mean she gained muscle. Her "conditioning" is much better than many.

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