Even though a man's metabolism is generally 10 to 15 percent faster than a woman's metabolism, men aged 45 and older are susceptible to a metabolism slowdown. The average person experiences a 5 percent decrease in the speed of his metabolism for every decade he is alive after age 40. There are tricks to speed the metabolism back up, which might not only keep you looking good but may prolong your life.
Slow Metabolism Risks for Men
Just because the metabolism slows down with age does not mean that you should just watch your waistline expand. It might be normal, but it is not healthy. Men are more likely to hold their fat around their bellies, called an apple body type or android body type. This body type is at a higher risk for developing serious diseases. Women older than 45 may see the same slowdown in metabolism, and may even put on the same amount of additional weight, but are more likely to hold excess fat in the thighs and hips. This is less dangerous. By failing to exercise and eat to increase your metabolism, and thus offset developing fat around the waistline, you increase your chances of suffering from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type II diabetes, coronary heart disease and premature death.
Caffeine
According to a "Men's Fitness" article entitled "Boost Your Metabolism," caffeine can help men boost their metabolisms and lose weight. Elizabeth M. Ward, M.S., R.D. wrote the article, which referenced a study on men and caffeine. The study at Harvard included 19,000 men who either had no caffeine or who consumed 200 mg of caffeine daily. The men who got the caffeine gained less weight in 12 months than the other participants. Eight oz. of coffee or four cans of soda contain 200 mg of caffeine. Your body uses fat as an energy source more when you take caffeine, particularly during exercise.
Eating
Men who eat small meals throughout the day have less fat than men who do not, according to "Men's Fitness." Consuming three meals and two snacks daily is ideal. Be sure to eat at least every four to five hours to speed up the metabolism. Eating this often increases the
metabolism because your body has to burn calories to digest food. This concept is known as the thermic effect of food. Also, do not consume fewer than 1,000 calories daily as this actually slows your metabolism down as your body tries to save energy.
Exercise
The slowdown in metabolism after age 40 is due to a decrease in lean muscle mass. This is why exercise is important. Lifting weights builds muscle. In addition to weight training, cardio also helps you lose weight. For best results, do two, 30-minute workouts per day and make one a cardio session and one weight training. Cardio is any form of physical activity that raises your heart rate and breathing rate, but the harder you work the more calories you burn. If you do not know how to lift weights, hire a personal trainer, buy a DVD or join a group strength-training class at your gym.
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