Muscle Preservation: The Key to Healthy Aging, with Different Approaches for Men and Women
A research team, led by Professor Park, Jun Hee from the Health Promotion Center at Samsung Medical Center and Professor Won, Jang Won from the Department of Family Medicine at Kyung Hee University Hospital (including Dr. Shin, Hyung Eun and Professor Kim, Mi Ji), analyzed the risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in elderly individuals aged 70 to 84. Using data from the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort, their study was published in the official journal of the European Menopause and Andropause Society, Maturitas (IF=3.9).
The impact of 'muscle preservation,' crucial for maintaining health in old age, varied based on gender. A study has found that, assuming no sarcopenia, increasing muscle mass and reducing waist circumference is effective in preventing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in men. In contrast, for women, maintaining an appropriate weight and achieving a balance between fat and muscle is more important.
The research team stated that building muscle preservation before the risk of sarcopenia emerges in old age is crucial. For men, increasing muscle mass alone is beneficial, while for women, improving muscle quality through aerobic exercise, rather than focusing solely on muscle mass, helps prevent fat accumulation in the muscles. This approach is effective in preventing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The research team stated, “Once sarcopenia sets in, simply increasing muscle mass no longer helps prevent cardiovascular and metabolic diseases for either men or women.” They added, “Therefore, to age healthily, it is essential to maintain muscle mass consistently and build muscle preservation in advance through exercise that suits you, in order to prevent sarcopenia and live wisely in the era of 100-year lifespans.”