Healthy Aging: Four Things With Solid Research Behind Them

Here are four topics with solid research behind them, and what that research does and does not show. They are our selection, not a ranking of what matters most.

Strength training matters as you age

Sarcopenia, a muscle disease marked by low muscle strength, is common in older adults.^[1] Grip strength is one simple way to gauge strength. In a study of about 140,000 adults aged 35 to 70 across 17 countries, every 5 kg drop in grip strength went with a 16% higher risk of death from any cause over a median of 4 years (hazard ratio 1.16).^[2] That is an association, not proof that raising grip strength lowers risk. What you can do about it: a Cochrane review (searches ended in 2008) of 121 trials with 6,700 older participants found that progressive resistance training, usually done two to three times a week, had a large positive effect on muscle strength.^[3] Serious adverse events were rare, though joint pain and muscle soreness were reported in many trials.^[3] The review also notes that adverse events were poorly recorded and that caution is needed in clinical populations, so check with a clinician before starting resistance training if you have a medical condition or have been inactive.^[3]

Protein needs go up, not down

The PROT-AGE expert group reports that older adults need more dietary protein than younger adults to maintain muscle and function. For adults over 65, they recommend an average of at least 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, and 1.2 grams or more for those who exercise.^[4] People with severe kidney disease are an exception and may need to limit protein, so talk to your doctor before raising your intake.^[4]

Sleep changes with age, and regular timing may help

A meta-analysis of 65 studies and 3,577 healthy people found that in adults the share of slow-wave (deep) sleep and sleep efficiency fall with age.^[5] Habits can still matter. In a UK Biobank study of 60,977 adults (average age about 63) who wore activity trackers, people with more regular sleep and wake times had a 20% to 48% lower risk of death from any cause than the least regular group.^[6] This was an observational study, so it shows a link, not a cause.

Social connection counts as a health factor

A meta-analysis of 148 studies with 308,849 participants found that people with stronger social relationships had a 50% greater likelihood of survival over the follow-up periods (odds ratio 1.50). The authors compared the influence of social relationships on mortality risk to that of well-established risk factors.^[7] The studies were observational, so healthier people may also have more social contact.

References

^↑︎ Cruz-Jentoft AJ, Bahat G, Bauer J, et al. Sarcopenia: revised European consensus on definition and diagnosis. Age Ageing. 2019;48(1):16-31. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afy169

^↑︎ Leong DP, Teo KK, Rangarajan S, et al. Prognostic value of grip strength: findings from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study. Lancet. 2015;386(9990):266-273. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(14)62000-6

^↑︎ Liu CJ, Latham NK. Progressive resistance strength training for improving physical function in older adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009;(3):CD002759. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD002759.pub2

^↑︎ Bauer J, Biolo G, Cederholm T, et al. Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2013;14(8):542-559. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2013.05.021

^↑︎ Ohayon MM, Carskadon MA, Guilleminault C, Vitiello MV. Meta-analysis of quantitative sleep parameters from childhood to old age in healthy individuals: developing normative sleep values across the human lifespan. Sleep. 2004;27(7):1255-1273. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/27.7.1255

^↑︎ Windred DP, Burns AC, Lane JM, et al. Sleep regularity is a stronger predictor of mortality risk than sleep duration: a prospective cohort study. Sleep. 2024;47(1):zsad253. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsad253

^↑︎ Holt-Lunstad J, Smith TB, Layton JB. Social relationships and mortality risk: a meta-analytic review. PLoS Med. 2010;7(7):e1000316. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316

Kurt Greiner

Kurt is a digital strategist and IT professional blending emerging technology with practical application to help businesses and individuals streamline their digital presence. His current work focuses on the intersection of intentional living and technological resilience, exploring how individuals can leverage modern tools to navigate the second half of life with purpose.