The Reality

We have discussed the importance of protein and creatine monophosphate in relation to strength training, and the following statement from Dietitians Australia captures the other component of the necessary equation.

“To maintain muscle mass and strength, it is also important to complement protein intake with exercise to avoid muscle wasting and maintain strength (for example, walking and resistance/strength exercises). This is particularly important for adults over the age of 50, as muscle mass begins to decrease with age.”

There is significant data about the benefits for men, but it is also critical for women (Ref. 1, Ref. 2, Ref. 3). This 2025 article details the history of resistance training for women.

Muscle & Strength Loss – a natural process

Every decade after the age of 40, we lose, on average, 10% of our muscle mass. This rate increases in menopausal women, rising to 1.5% per year. This rate of loss is not linear for the individual with age. In addition to the general decline, there are step-downs with higher rates of loss during periods of inactivity associated with injury, illness, or reductions in training or general activity.

This is accompanied by an important distinction: between chronological and skeletal age. When injured and therefore not training, muscle mass and strength decrease, and skeletal age advances (not beneficial). For example. If a 60-year-old man falls and fractures his hip. Due to his period of inactivity, his skeletal age advances to that of a 66-year-old man who hasn’t had a fracture. This insidious advancement of skeletal age occurs with each injury, illness and detraining period, resulting in loss of independence and frailty.

Like grey hair and wrinkles, loss of muscle mass is a natural process we can’t stop, but we can mitigate its effects through strength training and appropriate protein intake.

The loss of 1% of muscle mass per year sounds concerning, but the loss of strength can be 2-5 times greater, and this rate increases after 75 years of age.

I liken strength to superannuation: it is better to start building it early rather than leave it until you are 50 or 60. If you left retirement planning and your superannuation until 50 or 60, you wouldn’t have much financial security when retiring at 67!

Sex Differences

Male Summary

💪 Staying Strong as You Age: For Men

As the years pass, your body changes — but staying active helps you maintain your independence and continue to be adventurous.

👊 Muscles shrink faster with age → Strength training keeps you powerful.
🦴 Bones thin slowly over time → Keep them strong with weight-bearing activity.
❤️ Heart and Lungs lose endurance → Regular walking, swimming, or cycling keeps you fit.
🍔 Belly Fat sneaks up → Healthy eating + movement help protect your heart.
🧍 Balance may decline suddenly → Practice exercises that keep you steady.

👉 Regular exercise, good sleep, and staying active in daily life are the best ways to maintain independence.

Male Specifics

1. Muscle Mass and Strength
   Men typically enter adulthood with more lean muscle mass, but their testosterone levels gradually decline with age. This reduction impairs the body’s ability to build and maintain muscle, leading to loss of strength and reduced power.
2. Cardiovascular and Respiratory Fitness
   VO₂ max declines steadily from midlife onward, resulting in reduced endurance. Larger hearts and lungs initially provide an advantage, but aerobic capacity declines sharply over time.
3. Fat Distribution and Metabolism
   With age, men accumulate more visceral fat around the abdomen and organs, raising risk for diabetes and heart disease.
4. Balance and Falls
   Men tend to maintain mobility longer due to their greater initial muscle mass, but sudden health events (e.g., stroke, heart disease) can cause steep declines in mobility. Exercise reduces the risk of falls by 25%.

Female Summary

🌸 Staying Strong as You Age: For Women

Your body changes throughout life, especially after menopause — but movement is a powerful way to stay healthy and confident.

👊 Muscles are 20-25% smaller to start, cf. males→ Building them early and keeping them strong makes everyday tasks easier.
🦴 Bones lose strength quickly after menopause → Lifting weights + Vitamin D help protect against fractures.
❤️ Heart Health needs extra care → Exercise reduces risk as natural protection decreases.
🍎 Fat Storage shifts toward the belly during menopause → Staying active helps control this. Midlife weight gain is more age-related than hormone-related.
🧍 Balance becomes more challenging → Strength, balance drills and maintaining flexibility help to prevent falls.

👉 Staying active helps you enjoy more adventures, protect your health, and keep doing what you love.

Female Specifics

1. Muscle Mass and Strength
   Women typically have lower muscle mass, making declines more noticeable during daily tasks. Hormonal changes reduce recovery and repair, emphasising the importance of resistance training. Ligaments, tendons, and other soft tissues also experience declines in strength, hydration, and elasticity with reductions in estrogen. This is called the musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause and affects 70% of women.
2. Bone Density
   Following menopause, estrogen levels fall sharply. This accelerates bone loss and significantly increases the risk of osteoporosis.
3. Cardiovascular and Respiratory Fitness
   Women have lower baseline aerobic capacity. After menopause, the loss of estrogen removes a layer of cardiovascular protection, increasing the risk of heart disease.
4. Fat Distribution and Metabolism
   Before menopause, fat is stored mainly around the hips and thighs. After menopause, abdominal fat tends to accumulate, increasing visceral adiposity and metabolic risk.
5. Balance and Falls
   Reduced muscle reserves, smaller body size, and declining bone density increase the risk of falls and fractures. Balance-focused exercise is crucial.
6. Mental Health
   While not directly a strength-related change, menopause can also have a significant impact on mental health, with changing hormone levels, fatigue, sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression and ‘brain fog’. Sleep reductions and persistent fatigue may reduce exercise capacity and interest.