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A meta-analysis of 96 randomized controlled trials found that strength and balance training, along with protein intake, led to the biggest improvements in walking speed, grip strength, lean muscle mass, overall performance, and balance.
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The holistic approach is key, since longevity depends on multiple areas of health—your diet, balance training, and exercise, experts say.
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The bottom line is that it is possible to fight against muscle loss—at any age.
Muscle loss is common as people get older, but it’s not inevitable. A combination of strength training, protein, and other healthy lifestyle habits can help to combat what’s known more scientifically as sarcopenia. Still, those are pretty vague recommendations, making it hard to know exactly how to approach this. Now, new research is laying out a clear formula.
The meta-analysis, which was published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, analyzed data from thousands of people and came up with straightforward guidance that everyone can use.
Here’s what the researchers discovered when it comes to preventing muscle loss as you age, plus why it makes sense.
Meet the experts: Scott Keatley, RD,is the co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy. Bert Mandelbaum, MD, is a sports medicine specialist and orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics and co-director of the Regenerative Orthobiologic Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
What did the study find?
For the study, researchers analyzed data from 96 randomized controlled trials in order to understand the effectiveness of different types of exercise on muscle strength, physical function, and muscle mass in people with sarcopenia.
After crunching the numbers, the researchers found that a combination of strength and balance training, along with protein intake, led to the biggest improvements in walking speed, grip strength, lean muscle mass, overall performance, and balance.
People who ate protein but didn’t exercise only had small changes in their muscle mass, and didn’t see meaningful improvements in their strength or mobility.
Why is this combination important for preventing muscle loss?
A big element is that these factors will help to support your playspan, which is the ability to stay physically active as you age, says Bert Mandelbaum, MD, sports medicine specialist and orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics and co-director of the Regenerative Orthobiologic Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Approaching playspan from multiple areas of health—your diet, balance training, and exercise—can come together to support longevity. “It’s important to be comprehensive,” he says.
While exercising to combat muscle loss makes sense, protein is crucial, too, according to Scott Keatley, RD, co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy. “As we age, muscles become less responsive to protein, a process known as anabolic resistance,” he explains. “Higher protein intakes help overcome this by repeatedly triggering muscle protein synthesis throughout the day.” While the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is for 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, active women looking to gain muscle may want to aim for 1.2 g/kg or slightly above.
Protein provides the building blocks for muscle, but resistance exercise provides the signal that tells the body to actually build it, according to Keatley. “Without mechanical loading, amino acids are more likely to be used for energy or general maintenance rather than new muscle tissue,” he says. “This disconnect is even stronger in older adults.”
The national guidelines suggest a minimum of two days per week of muscle-strengthening activity, although upping that to three (and even up to five) sessions a week can help support muscle-building. (Always talk to your healthcare provider or a trainer before drastically changing your exercise routine or diet.)
As for balance, some experts suggest incorporating balance moves, like single-leg stands, marching in place, and alternating reverse lunges, into your strength workouts, or doing them alone for 10- to 15-minutes a few times a week.
What’s the takeaway here?
The researchers provide a concrete formula to follow to combat muscle loss, but maintaining muscle mass requires a multi-faceted approach. “The impact isn’t going to be significant enough just by choosing one of these drivers,” Dr. Mandelbaum says. “You need all three to make a difference.”
Beyond that, Keatley stresses that it is possible to fight against muscle loss with age. “Meaningful improvements are possible at any age with the right inputs,” he says.
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