Women can muscle their way into a longer life
In 2022, there were about 32 million women and 26 million men aged 65 and older in the U.S. If you're a woman headed into your older years -- or already there -- you want to make sure you're healthy and strong, so you can look forward to continued enjoyment of every day.
How can you do that? By making sure to add muscle-building strength training to your weekly exercise routine (You do have one, don't you?). A new study in JAMA Network followed 5,400 women (mean age about 79) for about eight years and found that aerobic exercise isn't enough to offer you optimal protection against dying.
The researchers assessed participants' grip strength and the time it took to stand up five times from a chair without using their arms and found that women with the highest grip strength had a 33% lower risk of death over the study period compared to those with the lowest grip strength; and those with the fastest chair stand time had a 37% lower risk of death. This held true even for those who did not get 150 minutes a week of aerobic activity (although I think you'd be better off getting that, or more).
So, use resistance bands, your body weight or head to the gym and do eight to 12 reps of each strength-building exercise. Target arm strength, core muscle development, thigh and calf power and shoulder muscles. To help you get started, check out my book "The RealAge Workout" and sign up for the free newsletter at 4YOUngevity.com.
Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.4YOUngevity.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at questions@4YOUngevity.com.
(c)2026 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2026 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
Comments