Wellbeing
Why muscle mass matters more after 60
CAITLYN HUTH outlines why we need to build up our strength – and keep it – as we age.
Staying strong isn’t about looks: it’s about staying capable, independent and protected.
Most people associate muscle with gym culture or elite athletes. But after the age of 60, muscle mass becomes one of the most important factors in your quality of life – not for how you look, but for how you live.
What happens to muscle as we age?
From around age 35, we naturally begin losing muscle mass: a process called sarcopenia.
By the time we reach our 60s and 70s, sarcopenia can accelerate noticeably.
Without intervention, we can lose 3-5 per cent of our muscle mass per decade – often more.
This doesn’t just affect strength. It affects balance, energy, bone density, metabolism and even the ability to recover from illness.
Muscle isn’t just for lifting things. It acts as a metabolic engine, helping to regulate blood sugar and keeping your weight stable.
It supports your joints, reducing the load on knees, hips and your lower back.
It powers every functional movement you rely on: getting up from a chair, climbing stairs, carrying groceries or simply walking confidently.
Muscle is also your body’s first line of protection in a fall.
Strong legs and trunk can mean the difference between catching yourself and hitting the ground.
The good news: you can build it at any age.
One of the most empowering facts in exercise science is that muscle responds to training well into your 80s and 90s.
You don’t need to become a weightlifter. What you need is regular, progressive resistance exercise: movements that gradually challenge your muscles so they adapt and grow stronger.
This can include resistance bands, body weight exercises, light weights or supervised exercise with an exercise physiologist who understands how to tailor training to your needs and any conditions you may have.
Two to three sessions per week of strength-focused movement is enough to make a meaningful difference.
Combine that with adequate protein in your diet and you have a powerful formula for staying strong, capable and independent.
It’s never too late to start.
In fact, the later you leave it, the more important it becomes.
Caitlyn Huth is an exercise physiologist at Full Circle Wellness. Call 5456 1599 or visit fullcirclewellness.com.au
