By Alena Kuzub
Building and maintaining muscle strength is one of the most important factors to living a long and healthy life, according to Northeastern University experts.
“Muscle mass really is the key to longevity. It really is our insurance policy for how long we want to stay functional,” says Elaina Manolis, assistant clinical professor of physical therapy, human movement and rehabilitation sciences at Northeastern University.
“To live a long and healthy life, you want to be as functional and independent as possible, and that’s going to depend on how well you move.”
Muscles not only move our bodies. They store glucose that can be used for energy and movement, Manolis says, rather than being stored as fat. Exercising our muscles helps regulate blood sugar, which is especially important for those with insulin sensitivity.
However, our muscle mass typically peaks around age 30 and decreases by 3% to 8% per decade afterward.
A sedentary lifestyle especially depletes our muscle mass, Manolis says. Rebuilding lost muscle takes significantly more time than losing it.
Never too late to start
The good news is that it’s never too late to start building your muscle mass, according to Carmen Castañeda Sceppa, professor of health sciences and dean of Bouvé College of Health Sciences at Northeastern.
“Muscle is very plastic and responsive to exercise,” she says. “It’s a very forgiving tissue. It will be lost if there is no activity or bed rest, or any condition like that, but it can very quickly get back on track with exercise.”
While strength training is crucial, optimal health requires a well-rounded routine, Manolis says, including resistance training, cardio exercise and flexibility.
Bone and joint health
Resistance training strengthens bones, Manolis says, as they respond to stress and the pull of the muscles by putting down more tissue layers and reinforcing bone structure.
Weight-bearing exercises like walking, running, jumping and push-ups contribute to bone density.
