Strong muscles may be the secret to a longer, healthier life

A New York City doctor believes the secret to longevity is muscle mass.

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon has focused her private practice on what she calls "muscle-centric medicine," which emphasizes muscle health through a combination of protein-smart diet, exercise and lifestyle adjustments. 

"Muscle is the organ of longevity, and it really dictates everything about health and wellness," she told the mindbodygreen podcast. "Muscle is one of the only tissues we can control … [it] is the pinnacle, not the periphery, of health and wellness."

Lyon’s viewpoint caught our attention. A lot of longevity research has focused on healthy diet and low-impact exercise, like walking.  She advocates a more rigorous regimen to build muscle mass without bulking up.

Her approach focuses on three things: 

1.     Zone 2 training, which offers a cardio workout that increases the heart rate, combined with resistance training that improves muscle strength. Cardio workouts have long been a cornerstone of longevity exercise recommendations, but the addition of resistance training is important to muscle strength, which Lyon says is critical to long life.  That same point was made by a 2021 study, which found that 30 to 60 minutes of resistance training each week can increase life expectancy by up to 17%.

2.     Protein consumption after a workout, which helps to restore muscles. Lyon said post-training protein consumption tends to offer more benefits to older people than younger ones. One study concluded that increased dietary protein consumption can help people who are 65 and older to delay physical problems.

3.     Being serious about exercise.  Lyon calls it “challenging yourself” to work out. She said too many people tend to go easy on themselves when they age.  She thinks that’s a mistake. "You cannot show up in your 60’s and 70’s and just go through the motions," she said. "You have to really be cognizant of actually putting in effort and progressing." 

Methuselah Foundation has long advocated a multi-layered approach to longevity. We understand that no single thing will extend life or improve its quality. That’s why we developed the seven strategies that guide Methuselah Foundation investments, planning and policies. Together, this multi-layered approach will help us achieve our goal of making 90 the new 50 by 2030.