According to John Hopkins University, metabolism starts to slow about 2 percent per decade after age 30. This decline is due mainly to reduced muscle mass. Fewer muscles equal fewer calories burned, which can result in weight gain. You lose up to half of your muscle mass between the ages of 20 and 90, with the rate of acceleration picking up beginning at age 50.
Decreased Physical Activity
A decline in cardiovascular function and physical activity generally begins around age 30 and results in the slowing of your metabolic rate, which in turn contributes to weight gain. The waning of body movement stabilizes between the ages of 60 and 70, after which time a slower decline begins. The physiological changes that take place with aging impact the function of your heart and lungs and contribute to reduced ability to exercise and lose weight.
Insulin Resistance
As you get older your resistance to insulin increases. This can weaken your body's ability to efficiently absorb glucose (sugar). As a result, the glucose will not be used for energy, and the ability to lose weight declines.
Reduced Energy Expenditure Rate
You are always burning calories, even when you are asleep. As you age, the rate in which you passively burn calories, or your resting energy expenditure rate, declines. This is why you may not be able to eat some of the fattening foods you could when you were younger without gaining unwanted pounds.
Lower Melatonin Levels
As men and women age, lowered levels of melatonin, which is the hormone involved in the regulation of sleep and wake cycles, may cause insomnia and restless sleep patterns. Lack of sleep may reduce the amount of the hormone leptin, which controls appetite, energy and your metabolic rate. Sleep deprivation may increase feelings of hunger and lead to overeating.
Estrogen Decline
At about age 40, women begin to enter perimenopause, and estrogen levels begin to decline. An imbalance in hormones can cause insulin and thyroid levels to fluctuate. When thyroid levels decline, metabolism slows. As a result, you burn fewer calories while you continue eat the same amount of food. When menopause begins, the continued disruption in hormones may interfere with your body's ability to properly digest foods. This may prevent feelings of fullness to reach your brain, making you prone to overeating.
Drop in Testosterone
As men age, lower levels of the hormone testosterone can result in weight gain, particularly around the waistline. It may become harder to lose excess pounds. Starting after age 30, men gradually begin to experience a decline in testosterone.
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