This was the key takeaway from recent research<\/a> led by Dr Michael LaMonte<\/a> and his team at the University at Buffalo, which shows the immense value of building skeletal muscle with strength training. It found that, in more than 5,000 women aged 63 to 99, greater strength levels were strongly linked to a lower risk of death from any cause. <\/p>\n Maintaining muscle should be seen as a savvy investment. Muscle allows you to stand, move and remain independent, all while offering further perks that extend far beyond physical function. It powers our breath, regulates blood sugar levels, emits anti-inflammatory myokines and constantly chats with other bodily systems to keep things running smoothly. In short, muscle is the medical marvel you already own. <\/p>\n Here is how to maintain your body\u2019s largest, and in some ways smartest, organ for decades to come. <\/p>\n Why strength training matters<\/p>\n There is a wealth of research on the merits of aerobic exercise, such as walking, running, swimming and cycling. This is a major reason why it dominates government physical activity guidelines. There is far less research into strength training, and much of the data available centres around young, fit men. <\/p>\n By looking at the impacts of strength training in previously understudied demographics, such as women aged 60 and above, studies like this one from the University at Buffalo<\/a> could change future exercise recommendations for the better. <\/p>\n \u201cWhen women go through menopause and lose their body\u2019s own secretion of oestrogen, the loss of skeletal muscle mass increases rapidly,\u201d says Dr LaMonte. \u201cWe typically see a change in their body composition, where they start losing muscle and holding fat in the belly area, particularly. That\u2019s not healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n Both men and women also tend to become less active as they grow older, which can contribute to sarcopenia \u2013 the age-related loss of strength and muscle. Both menopause and sarcopenia are inflammatory processes, Dr LaMonte says. <\/p>\n Read more: Sitting all day wreaks havoc on your hips and spine \u2013 here\u2019s how to stop that from happening<\/a><\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n There is limited research around strength training in older populations \u2013 but that is changing (Getty\/iStock)<\/p>\n This shift impacts fitness. \u201cMuscle strength is fundamental for getting the body from point A to point B, especially when you\u2019re working against gravity.\u201d But it also throws off chemical signalling between skeletal muscle and other systems in the body, such as the heart. <\/p>\n \u201cFat tissue tends to secrete chemicals called cytokines that are pro-inflammatory,\u201d Dr LaMonte explains. \u201cThere\u2019s quite a bit of evidence to show that, when skeletal muscle contracts, it secretes counterbalancing cytokines that are anti-inflammatory.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was discovered by a scientist named Bente Pedersen<\/a> in the 2000s. She published a compelling series of papers showing that these cytokines, which she called myokines, had regulatory functions outside the muscle itself.\u201d<\/p>\n Exactly how skeletal muscle interacts with other crucial systems in our body is unclear, Dr LaMonte says. But it is constantly in deep discussions with them, and it is looking to help out where it can. For this reason, if you can keep your muscles strong and healthy, they can be a powerful force for good. <\/p>\n Read more: Expert warns why this daily habit is shortening your life \u2013 even if you exercise<\/a><\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n Maintaining healthy muscle not only ensures independence and physical capacity, it can also lead to deeper-lying health benefits (Getty\/iStock)<\/p>\n 3 simple ways to gauge your strength<\/p>\n Dr LaMonte\u2019s research used a series of simple tests to assess the strength levels of 5,472 women aged 63 and above: <\/p>\n Grip strength: a dynamometer was used to assess grip strength, with people asked to hold their upper arm at their side, elbow bent at a right angle, then squeeze the machine as hard as possible. This is an indication of upper-body strength. Sit-to-stand: people were timed to see how quickly they could stand up from a chair, then sit back down again five times with their arms across their chest. This is an indication of lower body strength. Gait speed: a timer was used to see how long it took subjects to walk 2.5m. <\/p>\n Women with greater grip strength \u2013 a good signifier of overall strength levels \u2013 and faster sit-to-stand times had a \u201csignificantly lower death risk over an eight-year follow-up\u201d, the study discovered. <\/p>\n \u201cGait speed is another one of the most potent predictors of mortality,\u201d Dr LaMonte adds. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d like to see the health care profession embrace functional health as much as they do the things they can prescribe drugs for \u2013 because you can\u2019t prescribe a drug for this. It’s a behaviour, and I think that\u2019s why it probably doesn\u2019t get the same kind of attention. Nobody makes money from this, but people do die from it.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr LaMonte also suggests another bonus test anyone can use as a sign they need to work on their strength levels: <\/p>\n The pickle jar test \u2013 this is a proxy for any everyday task. If you notice it starts to feel more difficult, this is a good indication that your fitness has decreased, and it would be beneficial to gain strength and muscle through exercise. <\/p>\n \u201cWhen you can\u2019t open the pickle jar any more, don\u2019t just assume they\u2019re making the jars harder to open,\u201d Dr LaMonte says. \u201cThat\u2019s a good indicator that you might be at a phase of life where your strength levels have changed unknowingly.<\/p>\n \u201cThe same applies when you go to pick up a grandchild or climb the stairs, and you find you\u2019re huffing and puffing \u2013 it could simply be that you\u2019re getting more out of shape, or in the worst case scenario, it could be indicative of disease. <\/p>\n \u201cBe mindful of your body. It\u2019s going to tell you where you\u2019re at, and we don\u2019t want an injury to be that indicator.\u201d <\/p>\n Read more: Four things you can do to reduce inflammation and cut heart disease risk, according to the experts<\/a><\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n When daily tasks such as climbing the stairs start to feel markedly harder, it could be a sign that your strength levels are decreasing, Dr Michael LaMonte says (Getty\/iStock)<\/p>\n How to start strength training at any age<\/p>\n The human body is a representation of the life it has lived, informed by genetics and altered by myriad interventions along the way. A robust life, filled with challenging physical tasks, often builds a robust body. As a result, someone who has always been active will likely find it easier to remain more active as they age. <\/p>\n \u201cI wouldn\u2019t want to convey a message that age becomes a constraint for people doing what they enjoy,\u201d says Dr LaMonte. \u201cI know people in their late, late years who still enjoy going to gyms and lifting weights. It\u2019s effective for their strength goals, and the social aspect keeps them healthy in other ways.\u201d<\/p>\n However, if you are new to strength training and exercise generally, you need to start more conservatively. As with any new skill, there is an obligatory learning curve that allows your mind and body to adapt to the fresh stimulus without being overwhelmed. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cYou can use simple bodyweight exercises like press-ups against a wall or sit-to-stands \u2013 US adults in their 70s and 80s spend around nine-and-a-half hours each day sitting down<\/a>, so you could break this up by doing a few sit-to-stands every hour, or each time there is an advert if you are watching television,\u201d Dr LaMonte says. <\/p>\n \u201cResistance bands are another good option, or even using soup cans or books as a form of resistance provides stimulus to skeletal muscles.\u201d<\/p>\n The common denominator behind these exercises is the act of overcoming resistance. That resistance needs to be slightly challenging, relative to your individual strength levels, to trigger an increase in muscle and strength levels. By consistently doing a task that requires you to be stronger, you are telling your body you want it to adapt to handle it better. If the task feels easy, the body has no reason to make any changes. <\/p>\n \u201cIf someone finds that lifting a soup can or book [for example, pressing it overhead 10 times] challenges them, that\u2019s probably the level they should be working at, and they should not be trying to do more,\u201d says Dr LaMonte. As you grow stronger, you can then gradually progress to slightly heavier items to continue to increase your strength levels. <\/p>\n \u201cOlder adults in particular should consult with their health care provider about the safety of beginning muscle-strengthening exercises,\u201d Dr LaMonte adds. <\/p>\n In short, building and maintaining strength is important at any age. And if you do fall below this study\u2019s 63-99 demographic, any strength and muscle you can develop now will likely serve you well for the rest of your life. <\/p>\n \u201cWe want to live as long as we can healthily, and I think resistance exercises are a part of that,\u201d Dr LaMonte concludes. \u201cWhen we can no longer get out of the chair and move around, we are in trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"There](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Dr-Andy-Galpin-a-world-leading-human-performance-expert-says-the-3x5-plan-is-a-simple-and-effective..jpeg\")
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