The Link Between Muscle Mass and Longevity
As a leading functional medicine and fitness practice in Denver, we often encounter women who are hesitant to strength train because they’re afraid of becoming too bulky or muscular. Although we’ve seen a definite shift in more women embracing strength training in recent years, this still widespread belief needs debunking. Bottom line: building muscle is essential to healthy aging – and it can absolutely happen without getting “bulky.” Today’s blog explains why.
Dr. Simone Sturm, a Denver personal trainer, functional medicine and fitness expert, reveals the relationship between muscle mass and longevity below.
The Link Between Muscle Mass and Longevity
Muscle mass and longevity are intrinsically linked. Studies have shown that our muscle mass and strength continuously increase from birth to around 30 years old, after which our muscle power and performance steadily decline. However, resistance training can mitigate those effects, as it enhances mobility, boosts mental clarity, balances hormones, and improves mood.
Benefits of Gaining Muscle Mass
Women over 40 have much to gain from building muscle mass. (And we’re not just talking aesthetics.)
Metabolism
Our muscle tissue is metabolically active, meaning energy is required to both build and maintain it. That means you’ll burn more calories at the same body weight than if you had less muscle mass. Of course, building muscle via resistance training also helps our bodies burn fat. And new research reveals that strength training augments mitochondrial respiratory capacity and function in skeletal muscle. Mitochondria are tiny organelles in our cells that produce ATP (or energy) and are vital to the overall function of all our body’s cells!
Glucose Regulation
Lean muscle mass plays an important role in regulating our blood sugar levels. That’s because we store glucose in our muscles and liver (as glycogen), in addition to our bloodstream. And by increasing our muscle tissue, we inevitably increase our potential glycogen/energy stores.
Strength training also increases our insulin sensitivity. Essentially, this means your cells become more responsive to insulin. (Insulin is what helps to put sugar into our cells for energy.) Insulin resistance increases with age (and this is especially true for women navigating menopause). However, increasing muscle tissue can help counteract that, which helps to control weight and reduces the propensity for pre-diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and Type II diabetes.
Bone Health
As you can imagine, building strong bones is essential to healthy aging. But unfortunately, we don’t talk about it nearly as much as we should. While bone loss naturally occurs over time, studies show that resistance training can help slow the progression and, in some cases, reverse it entirely.
How so? Well, when we contract our muscles and load our bones, we stimulate their growth and help maintain bone density. The stronger our muscles become, the more we mitigate our risk of conditions like osteopenia and osteoporosis.
Our balance also declines with age, increasing our risk of falls and fractures. Of course, building muscle — and subsequently strengthening our bones — can lower that risk.
Cognitive Health
Finally, the relationship between muscle mass and longevity can be seen through cognitive health. Research confirms that resistance training positively affects cognition and helps “preserve” brain health in older adults. So, pick up that dumbbell and stay sharp!
Personal Trainer Denver
Now that we’ve uncovered the link between muscle mass and longevity, Dr. Simone Sturm can help you build it in a way that aligns with your personal idea of “beauty.”
Whether you’re looking to develop lean muscle mass, support your mental health in the face of hormonal shifts, or simply age (even more) gracefully, we’ll curate an evidence-based and customized fitness plan to help you achieve your goals.
Ready for your comprehensive initial assessment? Schedule your appointment today.