Muscle Mass, Protein and Longevity — The Evidence

Muscle is not just a physical performance marker. It is one of the most powerful predictors of how well — and how long — you live.

A review published in Aging and Disease examined the role of dietary protein and muscular fitness on longevity, finding that low levels of muscular fitness combined with insufficient dietary protein intake are major risk factors for illness and mortality from all causes.

Muscle atrophy is an unfortunate but common effect of ageing, and when it compromises physical function it also impairs vital metabolic processes — including insulin sensitivity, immune function, thermoregulation and the body’s capacity to recover from illness or injury.

The implications are significant for anyone thinking proactively about their health in their 30s, 40s and 50s. This is the decade where muscle preservation becomes an active strategy rather than a passive outcome. Adequate dietary protein — well above the standard RDA — combined with resistance training is the most evidence-supported intervention available for maintaining the muscle mass that longevity depends on.

This is why our Longevity Program assesses body composition and metabolic markers alongside biomarker testing — because the number on the scale tells you almost nothing about the health of what’s underneath it.

Source: Strasser et al., Aging and Disease, 2018.
Read the full study here