7 Scientific reasons why everyone over 40 needs to lift weights

By TimoTopp | September 26, 2023 |

High blood pressure, diabetes, wrinkles, expanding waistlines, languishing libido, tuck shop arms…. getting old sucks, right? What if there was a way to slow the inevitable ageing process and stay physically and mentally vibrant, doing what you love and enjoying better health – longer?

From the age of 30, our bodies gradually lose muscle mass at a rate of 3-5% per decade, a process known as sarcopenia. This decline accelerates around the age of 70, leading to frailty and increased risk of falls.

Weightlifting has often been associated with the vanity of bulging biceps and buff buttocks but more and more research keeps being published to strengthen – pardon the pun – the case that it is vital for promoting a healthier, longer and more mentally agile life.

In this article I share 7 scientific reasons why you really need to be lifting weight two times per week, especially after 40 and beyond…

1. Youthful Skin

A 16-week study involving middle-aged women carried out by the University of Kyoto, Japan found that engaging in exercise had a rejuvenating effect at the cellular level. However, the most substantial benefits were observed with weightlifting. Resistance training not only improved skin thickness but also increased the activity of specific genes responsible for building and strengthening connective tissue. (1)

2. Osteoporosis Prevention

Both men and women can begin losing bone mass at the age of 40, with a yearly decline of 1%, leaving them vulnerable to frailty and falls by the age of 60. Research indicates that strength training can significantly slow bone loss and, in some cases, even increase bone mass, countering age-related declines in bone density.

3. Improved Mental Health

The University of South Australia recently conducted the most comprehensive review to date on the effects of exercise on mental health and published it’s findings in the British Journal of Medicine. Their conclusion was exercise is more effective for mental health than medication but more specifically weight training is the best exercise to lower rates of depression. (2)

An eight-week study conducted by Penn State College of Medicine showed that individuals engaged in weightlifting scored 20% better on anxiety tests, possibly due to increased feelings of competence and mastery as they grew stronger over time. (3)

4. Stronger Heart Health

While cardio exercise has long been associated with improved heart health, recent studies have highlighted the equally important role of weightlifting in cardiovascular wellness. Research from Copenhagen suggests that weightlifting may offer more protection against heart disease than traditional aerobic exercise by reducing a certain type of dangerous heart fat that has been linked to cardiovascular disease. (4)

5. Slowing Dementia and Cognitive Decline Mitigation

Research carried out at the University of Sydney has shown for the first time, that lifting weights has been able to slow and even halt degeneration in brain areas particularly vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease. This is the first time any intervention, medical or lifestyle, has been able to slow and even halt degeneration in brain areas particularly vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease over such a long time,” said Professor Valenzuela, from Sydney Medical School. (5)

A large study published by JAMA Network Open found that poor handgrip strength, a measure of strength, in midlife was associated with cognitive decline a decade later. More than 190,000 dementia-free men and women of an average age 56, were involved in the study and followed for at least 10 years. Participants took tests that measured handgrip strength, problem-solving skills, memory, and reasoning abilities, and also underwent brain imaging. Compared with people who’d had higher handgrip strength scores at the start of the study, people with lower grip scores were more likely to later have problems with thinking and memory, brain imaging markers of vascular dementia, and diagnoses of dementia.

6. Diabetes Prevention

Muscles play a critical role in regulating glucose levels by absorbing and storing glucose with the assistance of insulin. Larger muscles create a greater capacity for glucose storage, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. A study of 100,000 middle-aged women found that engaging in at least one hour of strength training per week significantly lowered the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

7. Lift to Lose Weight

To lose weight many people focus on burning calories through cardio exercise but you will actually burn more calories through weight training. Lifting weights not only boosts your metabolic rate due to increased lean tissue but also continues to burn calories post-workout as the body expends energy to repair micro-tears in muscle tissue. This elevated energy demand can persist for up to 48 hours, contributing to an additional expenditure of calories, making weightlifting an effective tool for weight management, not to mention more toned muscles.

The WHO Prescription

The World Health Organization recommends lifting weight two times per week, which coincidentally is what I have been recommending for years- great minds think alike!

Weight lifting is not just about better biceps, it’s about a better quality of life

Conclusion

Lifting weights, for me, is the closest thing to the fountain of youth: it helps us to continue to do what we love and need to do – for longer – whilst maintaining quality of life, looking and feeling good and the science is in to prove it’s profound health strengthening benefits.