Better Ageing, Lower Dementia Risk, And Longevity: 12 Benefits Of Strength Training

Some research suggests that mixing up your workouts, or having a healthy combination of both strength and cardio days, increases your longevity more than either exercise type alone.

But only one in 20 UK adults is believed to strength train their muscles enough.

So, whether you’re considering adding the step to your routine or already do so, we thought we’d share some of the (many) benefits of strength training, especially as you age: 

1) It can help you live longer 

Strength training has been linked to up to four years of extra life. 

2) It could reverse some signs of ageing 

The Mayo Clinic stated that strength training could “slow and, in many cases, reverse the changes in muscle fibres associated with ageing”. And a 2023 paper said it might even make your skin look younger.

3) It may reduce your risk of dementia 

The size of participants’ temporalis muscle (found in the jaw) was linked to dementia risk in one study. This muscle is often used as a marker of people’s overall strength, suggesting that sarcopenia, or age-related muscle loss, which can be mitigated with strength training, could be a dementia risk factor.

Another paper found resistance training has “preventive potential [for dementia], alone or in combination with other types of exercise”.

4) It’s one of the best things you can do for your bones

Not only can it help to slow down bone loss, but it could even build bone. That’s important as we age, because it reduces the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.

5) It can help your heart

Strength training has been linked to better-controlled blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as a reduced risk of heart attack.

6) It can “speed up” your metabolism 

Because muscles use more energy, even at rest, than fat, the more muscle you build, the more calories you’ll burn through.

7) It can decrease your risk of falls 

One study found that strength training your legs in particular is linked to a decreased risk of falls.

8) It could help to lower your risk of type 2 diabetes

Not only can it help people who already have the condition to regulate their blood sugar, but strength training seems to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes overall by 30%.

9) It may protect against some cancers

Weight lifting has been associated with a reduced risk of both colon and, possibly, kidney cancers.

10) It can help to keep you flexible and mobile

Some research found that strength training is as good as stretching for improving your range of motion, which helps to keep you flexible and mobile.

11) It could improve your mental health 

A review of studies stated that both people with and without conditions like depression and anxiety saw improvements to their mental health after strength training.

12) It can lower your risk of injury 

A paper said that strength training reduced the risk of sports injuries by 33% and overuse injuries by half. 

And because strength training decreases your risk of sarcopenia, it also cuts your likelihood of falls, fractures, and general injury.