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By the time most women reach 30, they naturally begin to lose muscle mass. By the end of your 40’s, inactivity and poor nutrition can result in the loss of as much as 10% of your lean body mass. By 65, that number could be closer to 20%.(1)
Losing muscle mass can be detrimental to your health for a number of reasons. Losing lean mass lowers your metabolism making it easier to gain body fat and more difficult to lose it. Putting on excess body fat ultimately increases your risk of a number of health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease.
The loss of lean body mass can also decrease your strength and mobility, making everyday task more difficult to perform. Over time, it also increases your risk of injury — weak muscles and bones equate to more sprains, strains, and fractures.
So for women, building muscle after 40 doesn’t just have to be about recapturing how you looked in your 20’s, it can also be a proactive means of maintaining your health as you age.
Can Women Build Muscle After 40?
Building muscle is very dependent on hormones, particularly testosterone.(2) Women’s testosterone levels are typically around 10x lower than men’s, which is why on average, women tend to have less muscle mass compared to men.
Your hormone levels at age 40 are usually lower than they were when you were 20. Most physicians would consider these levels normal, but they may not be optimal and may affect muscle loss and body fat distribution.
In addition, to shifting as you age, your hormonal levels change even further with menopause, which occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 for most women.(3) Diminishing levels of hormones like GH and DHEA can make you more vulnerable to muscle loss.
While the aging process can make building muscle more challenging after 40, it’s far from impossible. In fact, with the right diet and training regimen in place, just about anyone is capable of doing it.
How Does Aging Affect Your Diet?
Protein Intake
When it comes to maintaining, let alone building muscle mass, one of the most important components of your diet is protein. Your…
