The secret of a long life lies in the muscles. In summary, this is the finding of a study just published in Jama Network Open, which sheds light on longevity and mortality by analyzing data from a large group of women between 63 and 99 years old. The results “were somewhat surprising,” said Michael J. Lamonte, senior author of the study and professor of epidemiology and healthy aging at the University at Buffalo in New York.
Strength turned out to be a key and unique factor for a longer life, the Washington Post reported, reducing the risk of premature death by at least 33 percent even after taking into account factors such as aerobic fitness, health, age and exercise habits of the people involved in the study.
The research was based in part on simple, self-administered tests designed to assess strength. Numerous previous studies have linked strength to longevity. A study published in 2024 in Nature, based on data from almost 10,000 men and women, revealed that weak grip strength was associated with an increased risk of premature death. A 2016 review of previous research found that muscle weakness was a reliable predictor of future problems related to cognitive ability, mobility, functional status, and mortality. In fact, studies in recent years have had difficulty distinguishing the benefits of strength from those generally associated with physical activity. The article published in Jama Network Open details the work aimed at isolating the effects of the force, to the extent possible. Specifically, the scientists focused on data from a group of 5,472 women who had joined the large-scale Women’s Health Initiative.
Participants wore devices that monitored their physical activity and general fitness for a week. They also underwent medical examinations and, after answering a series of questions, completed two strength tests: one to measure grip strength and another to evaluate leg power. In the eight years after the initial testing, more than a third of the women enrolled in the study died. The scientists compared the strength data with the mortality data: the association between strength and longevity was evident.
Study leaders further refined the analysis by considering subjects’ health, markers of body inflammation, smoking history, age, ethnicity, general lifestyle factors, and any falls or use of a cane or similar mobility device. The evaluation of all these parameters did not change the general picture: strength equals longevity. This seemingly surprising finding relates to the “amount” of force that was crucial to prolonging life.
The grip tests, which can be performed by anyone, showed that the strongest women exerted a pressure of approximately 24 kilograms using a dynamometer, the easily accessible instrument for measurements. This value is below the average for women of all ages.
Guidelines indicate that healthy men and women under the age of 40 should generally be able to press on a dynamometer for at least one minute. Those between 40 and 50 years old should exceed 30 seconds. Those over 60 should remain still for at least 10 seconds.
The study results were further filtered, excluding data from women who died in the first five years after the study due to a possible illness that could have affected the data. The scientists also assessed the women’s aerobic capacity and daily physical activity, checking whether they met the experts’ recommendation of at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week and how many hours a day they spent sitting. In this area of research, strength also turned out to be the key factor: between two or more women with similar exercise habits and fitness, stronger muscles were found to have a significant impact on longevity. In conclusion, the study convincingly demonstrated that “having sufficient strength, in and of itself, is an independent factor in health and longevity,” emphasized Professor Brad Schoenfeld, a professor at CUNY Lehman College in New York and an expert in the science of resistance training.
However, the role of strength does not diminish the importance of aerobic exercise. Strength training and resistance exercises, such as walking or jogging, have different physiological effects, Professor Lamonte noted, and induce different changes in muscles and cells. Ultimately, this combination offers the best opportunity for sustained health and greater longevity.
(Adnkronos)
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