Use it or lose it

Lean muscle mass and strength tend to decline with age. Strength training can help you keep and increase muscle mass and strength as you get older. It also may help protect against age-related loss of bone strength. If you don't replace the lean muscle tissue you lose over time, your body fat percentage will likely go up.

Strength training also may help you:

• Develop strong bones. By stressing your bones, strength training protects bone health and may lower the risk of osteoporosis.
• Manage your weight. Strength training can help you manage weight and improve body composition. It also can help you burn more calories.
• Enhance your quality of life. Strength training can improve physical function, support balance and lower the risk of falls. It may improve your ability to do everyday activities and help protect your joints from injury. This can help you stay independent as you age.
• Manage some chronic conditions. Strength training may help reduce joint pain and improve symptoms, function or overall health in some chronic conditions. Examples include arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, depression and anxiety.
• Sharpen your thinking skills. Some research suggests that regular strength training and physical activity may help support brain health and some thinking skills in older adults.