What does this mean in practice?

Muscle tissue plays a role in blood sugar regulation, inflammation control, and metabolic health — all factors that affect the heart. When muscle mass drops, these protective effects diminish.

What should you do next?

Do resistance training at least twice a week. Focus on multi-joint movements like squats, rows, and presses that challenge major muscle groups. Test your grip strength periodically. A hand dynamometer (a small squeezable device that measures grip force) costs about $20 and gives you a trackable... Eat enough protein to support muscle maintenance — roughly a palm-sized portion at each meal, or about 1.2–1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight...

Losing Muscle as You Age Isn't Just Cosmetic — It's a Heart Risk

Muscle loss with age is often dismissed as cosmetic, but a meta-analysis of 2.3 million people suggests otherwise. Sarcopenia — the medical term for age-related muscle loss — is linked to a 63% higher risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular events.

What the Research Found

Researchers pooled data from 100 long-term studies tracking adults over time. After adjusting for risk factors like age, smoking, and diabetes, people with sarcopenia had a 63% higher risk of cardiovascular events compared to those who maintained their muscle. Low grip strength alone — measurable with a simple device — was tied to a 46% higher risk.

The link between sarcopenia and dying from heart disease was less clear. The unadjusted numbers looked alarming (128% higher risk), but after accounting for other health factors, the connection was not statistically reliable.