Longevity Extended with Increased Muscle Mass

Published in the American Journal of Medicine, a UCLA study revealed that those with higher levels of muscle mass were much less likely to die than those with lower levels, despite their BMI (Body Mass Index), which has been the accepted barometer for overall health for years. To get a perspective between the two, let's first take a look at what BMI actually is. The BMI is supposed to be a measure of the amount of body fat a person is carrying on their body, calculated by two measures—height and weight. rnThe prevailing wisdom being that studies have shown people with a BMI of 30 or more have greater risk of death due to ailments such as heart disease and diabetes. The problem though with BMI is that it doesn't differentiate between overweight and over-fat. There is a distinct difference. For instance, Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime weighed 235 lbs., and standing at 6' 2" tall would relegate him as, according to the BMI chart, obese; where he probably had a total body-fat content of a mere 8%. Muscle is three times heavier than fat. Nor does rnit take into consideration bone density, which increases when one exercises. Using myself as an example as one who consistently works out with weight training, standing at 5' 10", weighing about 178 lbs., am considered overweight. So, the BMI cannot really be taken too seriously, it's only an estimate of body fat based on height and weight. rnUCLA StudyrnResearchers took 3,659 people—men 55 or older and women 65 or older—and analyzed their data between 1988 and 1994 from a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, undergoing tests determining their muscle mass. Fat composition was measured using bioelectrical impedance by running an electrical currant through the body—muscle has less resistance to electricity than does fat because of muscle's water content, and from that reading could determine the muscle mass index of an individual by the amount of muscle relative to height. Then in 2004 they determined the number of participants that had died of natural causes in relation to the muscle mass of each individual, whereby they found that those people with the highest amount muscle mass were significantly less likely to die than those with the lowest levels. The study leader, Dr. Preethi Srikanthan relates, "Our study indicates that clinicians need to be focusing on ways to improve body composition, rather than on BMI alone, when counseling older adults on preventative health behaviors." The authors noted that the study only shows as association, not a cause-and-effect relationship between muscle mass and risk of death, however, I believe it is more than an association as two scientists from Tufts University wrote about in their book, Biomarkers, which informs us that muscle mass is the number one biomarker for youth, and second is strength, as it has a profound effect on the remaining eight aging biomarkers. And, from research at Harvard University (by Anker et al., 1997; Metter et al., 2002; Nair, 2005; Ruiz et al., 2008...) "In humans, the mortality rate and pathogenesis of many age-related diseases are associated with the functional status, metabolic demand, and mass of skeletal muscle, suggesting that this tissue is a key regulator of systemic aging. Recent findings in mammals and Drosophila confirm this hypothesis and indicate that nutrient and stress-sensing in skeletal muscle influence organismal aging." We should all keep in mind that after the age of 30 we lose some muscle each year. Muscle drives metabolism—the less muscle the lower our metabolism, meaning we burn less and less calories at rest, and the less calories we burn the more vulnerable we become to fat accumulation slowly changing our body composition for the worse, therefore, the older we become the more important muscle enhancement becomes. rnSpending a little time weight training to build muscle is probably the best investment you'll ever make in your life, the benefits being enormous. I go to the gym twice a week, an hour-and-a-half investment per week, a small investment with a huge return. By far, the most difficult thing about working out, is going, because your mind will search for every reason not to go...it's not the most fun thing to do, and reminds me of the comic line by Joan Rivers, "The first time I see a jogger smiling, I'll consider it." But, the payoff is big when you get your derrière there consistently. As Woody Allen said, "Eighty-percent of success is showing up." And you don't have to look like these people to reap those benefits, nor do you need to spend inordinate amounts of time in the gym. As the saying goes, "Not only will you add years to your life, you'll add life to your years."