11/12/2023
This is so important to know!!
Re-posting from Menno Henselmans IG
"85+ Year olds can build muscle as fast as 65-75 year olds, new study finds
A new study compared how effective strength training still is in people over 85 years old. They compared a group of 65-75 year olds to a group of 85+ year olds performing a 3-month strength training program. Both groups made good gains and the gains of the groups were virtually identical in muscle growth (LBM per DXA and CSA per CT) and strength (1RM and a 'functional' performance test).
"Prolonged resistance exercise training increases muscle mass, strength, and physical performance in the aging population, with no differences between 65–75 years and 85+ years older adults."
This finding is in line with multiple former studies, although little research has looked at 85+ year olds. Things don't get easier with age and our maximum muscular potential in particular decreases. However, the effects of age are majorly overrated by many people. The vast majority of the negative effects of age are due to disuse and an unhealthy lifestyle, not age per se.
Conclusion: It’s never too late to start lifting and always too early to stop. Exercise is truly a panacea. We evolved to run, hunt, travel, dance, live. Give your body what it needs, stay lean and fit, and it will serve you for many decades for a long and muscular life.
For more details, I've written a review on the effects of aging on muscular development on my website: https://mennohenselmans.com/how-bad-is-aging-for-your-gains
