Science Reveals Why Exercise Takes Longer to Pay Off as You Get Older

Sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength, begins subtly in midlife and accelerates with age, increasing your risk of frailty, falls, and fractures
As your body ages, muscles become less responsive to training, and physical gains come more slowly, even when effort and consistency remain the same
A 2025 study published in Nature Communications found that older muscles fail to activate key growth pathways and repair signals after exercise, explaining the reduced adaptation
Despite slower gains, exercise remains essential not just for physical strength but also for brain function, heart health, immune regulation, and metabolic resilience across the aging process
Longevity benefits peak at around 40 to 60 minutes of strength training per week; exceeding this reverses the gains and increases the risk of overtraining

Published on 1 day, 15 hours ago

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