Muscle mass and longevity: Why strength matters as you age

Why muscle mass matters for longevity

Muscles also play an important role in your overall health. Skeletal muscle helps your body use and store glucose (blood sugar) for energy, supports metabolic health, and works with your bones to keep you moving comfortably.

Maintaining muscle strength as you age may also help:

• Support mobility and independence. Strong muscles make everyday activities easier and can help you maintain your ability to move confidently.

• Improve balance and reduce fall risk. Strengthening your legs and core can help you stay steady and respond to changes in your balance.

• Support bone health. Strength training places healthy stress on your bones, helping maintain bone strength as you age.

• Support metabolic health. Muscle plays an important role in blood sugar regulation, which can help support long-term health.

• Promote overall well-being. Staying strong can make it easier to remain physically active and participate in activities that benefit your physical and mental health.

Muscle strength can also offer clues about your overall health as you age. For example, research suggests that grip strength, or how firmly you can squeeze something with your hand, may help predict how long you live, sometimes offering more insight than body mass index (BMI) alone.

That doesn’t mean grip strength determines how long you’ll live—it’s one of several indicators that can offer insight into overall health and physical function.

How muscle changes as you age

Muscle mass and strength generally increase through early adulthood before gradually declining later in life. Some research suggests that muscle mass may decrease by approximately three to eight percent per decade beginning around age 30, with losses often accelerating after age 60.

But everyone’s experience is different. How much muscle you maintain depends on several factors, including your activity level, nutrition, health conditions, and genetics.

More significant losses of muscle strength and function can contribute to sarcopenia, a muscle condition that becomes more common with age. Sarcopenia isn’t simply another name for normal aging, and it isn’t inevitable.

“Strength training can counteract some of this loss,” says Dr. Bettini.

How movement can help you maintain muscle mass

“Movement activates and engages many muscles, which slows the loss of muscle mass,” says Dr. Bettini. “Any movement is better than no movement. Walking is better than inactivity. Going up and down stairs is better than not doing anything.”

Everyday activities like walking, gardening, and climbing stairs help keep you moving and support your overall health. But when it comes to building and maintaining muscle, resistance training is especially important.

Also called strength training, resistance training involves challenging your muscles against a force. That might mean lifting dumbbells, pulling on resistance bands, using exercise machines, or performing bodyweight exercises like squats and push-ups.

As your muscles adapt to these challenges, they become stronger. Over time, resistance training can also help increase your muscle mass.

You don’t need to lift heavy weights or spend hours at the gym to benefit, either. Bodyweight exercises, using resistance bands, and even workouts with lighter weights can all be effective, especially when you’re just starting. The key is to challenge your muscles at a level that’s appropriate for you and gradually increase the difficulty as you get stronger.

Tips to build and maintain muscle mass as you age

Building muscle after age 50 requires a multi-pronged approach. “Strength training is the foundation,” says Dr. Bettini. “But if you’re not eating enough and getting enough sleep, you can do all the strength training you want, but your body won’t be in a position to build strength.” Consider these tips to build muscle and strength.

• Strength train at least twice a week. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans⁠ recommend muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days per week. Aim to work your major muscle groups, including your legs, hips, back, chest, shoulders, arms, and core.

• Use whatever resistance works for you. You don’t need heavy weights or a gym membership to get stronger. Bodyweight movements, resistance bands, dumbbells, and exercise machines can all help you build strength. Choose a level of resistance that feels challenging but manageable.

• Start gradually. If you’re new to strength training, try one set of eight to 10 repetitions of each exercise, then gradually work toward additional sets as you feel ready. Starting with a manageable routine can help you build confidence and consistency.

• Keep challenging your muscles. As exercises become easier, gradually increase the resistance, repetitions, or sets. This is called progressive overload, and it helps your muscles continue adapting. “If you give your body the same stimulus over time—the same exercise, weight, or number of repetitions—it becomes efficient at doing it,” says Dr. Bettini. “Instead, you want progressive overload, so your body continues adapting to new stimuli by becoming stronger and building more muscle mass.” 

• Eat enough to support your activity. Your body needs adequate energy and nutrients to maintain muscle and recover from exercise. “Make sure you’re drinking enough water and eating enough food, including protein, fruits, and vegetables with every meal,” says Dr. Bettini. Rather than focusing on a universal calorie target, aim for a balanced eating pattern that supports your individual needs and activity level. But as a reference, the U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend 1,600 to 2,200 calories daily for women and 2,000 to 3,000 for men.

• Prioritize protein. Protein provides the building blocks your body needs to repair and maintain muscle. The National Resource Center on Nutrition & Aging suggests that generally healthy older adults should aim for approximately 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, although individual needs vary. For someone who weighs 150 pounds, that’s roughly 68 to 82 grams daily. Include protein-rich foods such as fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, beans, lentils, or tofu throughout the day. Note: If you have kidney disease or another condition that affects your dietary needs, ask your healthcare provider about an appropriate target.

• Make sleep a priority. Sleep supports recovery and overall health.  Not getting enough quality sleep each night can interfere with muscle recovery and accelerate muscle loss, according to a study in BMC Public Health. Most adults should aim for seven to nine hours per night, though everyone is different. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and following good sleep hygiene habits can help you feel more rested and ready for activity. 

• Stay active between workouts. Strength training is important, but so is everyday movement. Walking, gardening, taking the stairs, dancing, and doing household chores all help you stay active and support your overall health.

• Find ways to manage stress. Chronic stress can affect sleep, energy, and your ability to maintain healthy routines. Relaxation techniques like deep breathing, stretching, meditation, and regular movement can help you manage stress and support your well-being.

Is it too late to build muscle after 60?

“No, you can build muscle at any age,” says Dr. Bettini.

Research has shown that older adults, including people in their 80s and 90s, can make meaningful strength gains with resistance training. In a landmark studypublishedin ⁠JAMA⁠, adults in their late 80s and 90s significantly improved their strength after eight weeks of high-intensity resistance training. The researchers reported an average strength increase of 174%, along with improvements in walking speed.

These results don’t mean everyone should expect the same gains. This older study was small and used a supervised training program, but it demonstrates that muscles can respond to strength training even at very advanced ages.

And you don’t have to make dramatic gains to notice a difference. Getting stronger may make it easier to climb stairs, carry groceries, get up from a chair, and continue doing activities you enjoy.

PT tip: Ask for guidance when you need it

If you have arthritis, are going through menopause, or have another health condition that makes exercise feel challenging, a physical therapist can help you find a routine that works for you.

“We can help you find effective exercises, modify movements, and adjust the dosage so you feel more comfortable while still building strength,” says Dr. Bettini.

You don’t have to wait until you’re pain-free or already fit to start strength training. A physical therapist can help you begin at a comfortable level and gradually build your strength and confidence.

You can work with a physical therapist in person or use a program like Hinge Health, where you may access a PT via telehealth/video visit.

How Hinge Health can help you

If you have joint or muscle pain that makes it hard to move, you can get the relief you’ve been looking for with Hinge Health’s online exercise therapy program.

The best part: You don’t have to leave your home because our program is digital. That means you can easily get the care you need through our app when and where it works for you.

Through our program, you’ll have access to therapeutic exercises and stretches for your condition. Additionally, you’ll have a personal care team to guide, support, and tailor our program to you.

See if you qualify for Hinge Health and confirm free coverage through your employer or benefit plan here.