Muscle is more than strength: why it's key to ageing well

When we think about muscle, many of us picture toned arms or the ability to lift heavy grocery bags.

Yet, muscle is not simply about strength or appearance. It is one of the most metabolically active and protective tissues in the body. 

As we age, maintaining muscle becomes less about aesthetics and more about independence, resilience and vibrant health. From your metabolism to your mood, muscle plays a far more significant role than most people realise. 

Muscle and metabolism: your metabolic engine 

Muscle tissue is one of the drivers of metabolic rate. Even at rest, muscle burns more energy than fat tissue. This means that the more muscle you have, the more efficiently your body uses fuel. 

From around the age of 30, we naturally begin to lose muscle mass unless we actively maintain or build it. Without regular strength-based activities, this loss accelerates with each decade. This can impact on metabolic health, making body fat gains easier and fat loss more challenging. 

But this is not simply about body fat. Muscle also acts as a storage site for glucose, helping regulate blood sugar levels. 

When you have adequate muscle mass, your body is better able to move glucose out of the bloodstream and into muscle cells, where it can be used for energy. 

This supports healthy insulin sensitivity and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. In this way, muscle functions like a sponge for excess glucose, quietly protecting your metabolic health every day. 

Hormones, inflammation, and healthy ageing 

Muscle is also an endocrine organ. It produces and secretes compounds called myokines during contraction, particularly during resistance or strength training. 

These myokines communicate with other organs, influencing inflammation, fat metabolism, and even immune function. 

Maintaining muscle mass can help support key hormones, including insulin and growth hormone. In post-menopausal women and older men, preserving muscle can also help counter some of the metabolic shifts that occur with declining sex hormones. 

In addition, muscle helps buffer the inflammatory processes that tend to increase with age. Chronic low-grade inflammation is linked to many age-related conditions, including cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline. 

Regular muscle contraction through strength training has been shown to exert anti-inflammatory effects. 

Muscle and brain health 

One of the most compelling areas of research right now is the connection between muscle and the brain. 

When your muscles contract – especially during strength or resistance training – they release signalling molecules into the bloodstream that may support the brain and even help it form new connections (through processes like neuroplasticity). 

These exercise-related muscle factors, such as BDNF and other myokines, are thought to be part of the muscle-to-brain communication that promotes brain health. 

Regular strength work has also been tied to better thinking skills in older adults, particularly in areas like planning, focus and processing speed and to improvements in overall cognitive performance (potentially via these muscle-derived signals). 

Importantly, having low muscle mass has been linked to faster decline in executive brain skills over time – even when accounting for strength and activity levels.  

Balance, stability, and fall prevention 

Falls are one of the leading causes of injury in older Australians. Muscle strength, particularly in the legs and core, plays a crucial role in balance, coordination, and reaction time. 

Stronger muscles mean better joint stability and greater capacity to catch yourself if you trip. Muscle also supports bone health, as resistance training stimulates bone remodelling and helps maintain bone density. 

Maintaining muscle mass is therefore one of the most practical steps you can take to preserve independence and reduce the risk of falls and fractures. 

Practical ways to build and maintain muscle 

1. Prioritise resistance training
Aim for strength-based exercise at least twice per week. This might be a gym if that appeals to you or could be something like Pilates or even gardening where you are carrying loads of mulch, for example. If you are new to strength training, working with a qualified exercise professional can help ensure you use correct technique and progress safely. 

2. Make protein a focus at each meal
As we age, our bodies become less sensitive to the muscle-building effects of protein. Including a source of high-quality protein at each meal can help stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Think grass-fed red meat, fish, poultry, legumes, or tofu, and add plenty of vegetables to your plate. 

3. Do not neglect recovery
Muscle is built during recovery, not during the workout itself. Adequate sleep, nourishment, and rest days between strength sessions allow your body to repair and rebuild. 

4. Stay consistent
Small, regular efforts are more powerful than occasional bursts of activity. Even 20 to 30 minutes of targeted strength work a few times a week can make a meaningful difference over time. 

5. Keep moving daily
In addition to formal exercise, regular walking and staying physically active throughout the day support circulation, joint health and metabolic function. Choose the stairs over the elevator, park further away from the shops and carry your groceries in a basket instead of using a trolley. Every small choice adds up.