Your muscle mass determines much more than your physical strength: it predicts longevity and quality of life. Find out how to preserve your muscles, starting today.
Muscle predicts our life expectancy
Imagine two 75 year old people. One climbs the stairs without difficulty, carries her groceries and gardens every weekend. The other has difficulty getting up from a chair without using his arms and is afraid to go out. The difference? Their muscle mass.
The Dr.…
-
References
-
Historical
-
Srikanthan P, Karlamangla AS. Muscle mass index as a predictor of longevity in older adults. Am J Med. 2014;127(6):547-553.
-
Tikkanen E, Gustafsson S, Ingelsson E. Associations of fitness, physical activity, strength, and genetic risk with cardiovascular disease: longitudinal analyzes in the UK Biobank study. Traffic. 2018;137(24):2583-2591.
-
Janssen I, Heymsfield SB, Ross R. Low relative skeletal muscle mass (sarcopenia) in older persons is associated with functional impairment and physical disability. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2002;50(5):889-896.
-
Larsson L, Degens H, Li M, et al. Sarcopenia: Aging-Related Loss of Muscle Mass and Function. Physiol Rev. 2019;99(1):427-511.
-
Maden-Wilkinson TM, McPhee JS, Rittweger J, Jones DA, Degens H. Thigh muscle volume in relation to age, sex and femininity. Age (Dordr). 2014;36(4):9609.
-
Breen L, Phillips SM. Skeletal muscle protein metabolism in the elderly: Interventions to counteract the ‘anabolic resistance’ of aging. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2011;8:68.
-
Wall BT, Gorissen SH, Pennings B, et al. Aging Is Accompanied by a Blunted Muscle Protein Synthetic Response to Protein Ingestion. PLoS One. 2015;10(11):e0140903.
-
Cuthbertson D, Smith K, Babraj J, et al. Anabolic signaling deficits underlie amino acid resistance of wasting, aging muscle. FASEB J. 2005;19(3):422-424.
-
Burd NA, Gorissen SH, van Loon LJ. Anabolic resistance of muscle protein synthesis with aging. Exercise Sport Sci Rev. 2013;41(3):169-173.
-
Kamper RS, Alcazar J, Andersen LL, et al. Evidence-based exercise recommendations to improve mental wellbeing and quality of life in prostate cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Cancer Survival. 2024.
-
Shailendra P, Baldock KL, Li LSK, et al. Resistance Training and Mortality in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Am J Med. 2022;135(12):1476-1486.
-
Saeidifard F, Medina-Inojosa JR, West CP, et al. The association of resistance training with mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2019;26(15):1647-1665.
-
Flack KD, Davy KP, Hulver MW, et al. Resistance exercise training and in vitro skeletal muscle oxidative capacity in older adults. Physiol Rep. 2016;4(13):e12849.
-
Fragala MS, Cadore EL, Dorgo S, et al. Resistance Training for Older Adults: Position Statement From the National Strength and Conditioning Association. J Strength Cond Res. 2019;33(8):2019-2052.
-
Paddon-Jones D, Rasmussen BB. Dietary protein recommendations and the prevention of sarcopenia. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2009;12(1):86-90.
-
Bauer J, Biolo G, Cederholm T, et al. Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2013;14(8):542-559.
-
Deutz NE, Bauer JM, Barazzoni R, et al. Protein intake and exercise for optimal muscle function with aging: recommendations from the ESPEN Expert Group. Clin Nutr. 2014;33(6):929-936.
-
Wang X, Zhang L, Sun W, et al. Dietary protein requirements of older adults with sarcopenia determined by the indicator amino acid oxidation technology. Front Nutr. 2025;12:1486482.
-
Symons TB, Sheffield-Moore M, Wolfe RR, Paddon-Jones D. A moderate serving of high-quality protein maximally stimulates skeletal muscle protein synthesis in young and elderly subjects. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109(9):1582-1586.
-
Moore DR, Churchward-Venne TA, Witard O, et al. Protein ingestion to stimulate myofibrillar protein synthesis requires greater relative protein intakes in healthy older versus younger men. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2015;70(1):57-62.
-
Volpi E, Kobayashi H, Sheffield-Moore M, Mittendorfer B, Wolfe RR. Essential amino acids are primarily responsible for the amino acid stimulation of muscle protein anabolism in healthy elderly adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;78(2):250-258.
-
Ten Haaf DSM, Nuijten MAH, Maessen MFH, et al. Effects of protein supplementation on lean body mass, muscle strength, and physical performance in nonfrail community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018;108(5):1043-1059.
-
Landi F, Calvani R, Tosato M, et al. Protein Intake and Muscle Health in Old Age: From Biological Plausibility to Clinical Evidence. Nutrients. 2016;8(5):295.
-
Coelho-Júnior HJ, Rodrigues B, Uchida M, Marzetti E. Low Protein Intake Is Associated with Frailty in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies. Nutrients. 2018;10(9):1334.
-
Smith GI, Atherton P, Reeds DN, et al. Dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation increases the rate of muscle protein synthesis in older adults: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011;93(2):402-412.
-
Current version
on 01/14/2026 - on 01/13/2026
