STAY STRONG!

We naturally lose muscle mass as we age, which can lead to health issues. If you're wondering what you can do to slow the process, we've got your back (and legs, and arms...).

- JESSICA MIGALA

POP QUIZ: What's the largest organ in your body? Answer: not your skin! It’s all that muscle. There’s a lot of it, and it does so many things, says Ashley V. Austin, MD, a sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. “We need a certain amount of muscle to do even the smallest tasks,” she says. Obviously, muscles allow us to carry groceries, kneel down to pick up dropped keys, and hoist luggage into the overhead compartment on a plane. But they also help us avoid injuries while doing those tasks, and they help us build strong bones. See, as we move, muscles pull on our bones, causing friction that helps repair and strengthen bone. The muscles also get tiny tears when we exert them; the tears are then repaired, resulting in stronger muscles. When your muscles grow stronger, they pull harder, which can make your bones stronger. It’s a cycle!

Muscles can help you live longer too. A 2019 study looked at 738 people over the age of 90 and calculated the average muscle mass of participants. The women who came in below the group average had a 54% higher risk of dying during the course of the study. (Lower muscle mass is associated with mobility loss and more falls.) Additionally, some research has found that muscle mass may help stave off type 2 diabetes, which can shorten life expectancy. Glucose—basically, sugar—circulates in the bloodstream until your muscles and other tissues utilize it for fuel, explains Brian Clark, PhD, executive director of the Ohio Musculoskeletal & Neurological Institute at Ohio University. “More muscle mass increases the capacity to store glucose and improves insulin sensitivity,” he says, adding that overall blood sugar stability depends on multiple factors, including diet, physical activity, and metabolic health.