Research
Mixed
Muscle strength is a stronger determinant of quality of life and functional decline in older adults than muscle mass, making strength assessment superior to mass assessment for sarcopenia diagnosis.
Focus on maintaining or improving your leg strength (e.g., through resistance training) rather than just worrying about muscle size. Strength is the key metric for staying independent and healthy as you age.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
The loss in muscle strength is considered a more important risk factor for functional decline than the loss in muscle mass [14]. ... The associations between low appendicular mean mass and health-related quality of life were weaker, indicating that muscle strength is a stronger determinant of quality of life than muscle mass [15].
Why this rating
Supported by multiple cited studies (Balogun et al., Tieland et al.) and consensus guidelines.
Source
Nutritional strategies to improve muscle quality during ageing
Pol Grootswagers · 2020
narrative_review
Read the paper This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →