When it comes to healthy aging and longevity, your muscle mass is one of the single most important indicators of how long you might live. Maintaining an optimal level of muscle mass becomes more vital as you get older.
Many men underestimate the importance of maintaining and preserving muscle mass, particularly as we age. A suboptimal muscle mass percentage has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, and early death. While cardiovascular exercises are important, weightlifting and resistance training may be more important when it comes to extending your lifespan.
In my practice it is not uncommon for me to treat retired athletes who have spent years training their bodies for the highest levels of competition. I often find that those athletes who maintain some level of physical activity and resistance training in order to preserve muscle mass regularly have the lowest amount of comorbidities. Staying active and maintaining muscle mass correlates with long term health and it pays dividends later in life.
Studies regularly show that preservation of muscle later in life is correlated with lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, lower cardiovascular mortality, a lower risk of mental decline, and lower levels of some inflammatory markers (which can be correlated with aging). In fact muscle mass has been shown to correlate with a longer lifespan more than weight, BMI, or even your cholesterol levels.
More important than just preserving and maintaining mass later in life is preserving your muscle strength. Studies show that muscle strength, and in particular grip strength and lower-body strength, can lower cardiovascular events and mortality better than muscle size alone. This means that strength training and not just cardiovascular exercise is essential when it comes to extending your lifespan.
Muscle is a metabolic organ that helps us lower blood sugar and increase insulin sensitivity while also helping us to maintain our functional independence later in life. As men age, our testosterone naturally declines which directly contributes to muscle loss. The loss of muscle mass itself further worsens this hormonal imbalance, creating a vicious cycle. Resistance training in order to maintain strength and mass is one of the most effective non-pharmacologic ways to support testosterone signaling which can also help with such things as energy, libido, and cognition.
Age related muscle loss known as sarcopenia is inevitable. However, we do have the ability to slow and reverse these declines as we age. Resistance training for both muscle mass and strength can lead to huge gains later in life in both your metabolic health and function. It is never too late to start resistance training and the health benefits for men can pay dividends later in life.
