Is handshake strength a more accurate indicator of life expectancy than blood pressure?
As the interest in biological age measurement rises, various scientific tests often capture attention. However, a straightforward grip strength measuring device (dynamometer) offers insights that can rival blood tests and epigenetic clocks—giving them a run for their money.
The concept is simple: squeeze the device as hard as possible (much more than a casual handshake), and it will display your grip strength in kilograms. Performing well for your age correlates positively with future healthspan and longevity.
The significance of grip strength contributes to the growing popularity of strength training. Once viewed as an activity solely for gym enthusiasts, strength training is now essential for everyone, from individuals with diabetes to those undergoing cancer treatment, all looking to enhance their healthspan.
Further evidence comes from large-scale cohort studies, where researchers track large groups over decades, correlating their lifestyle and dietary habits with diseases and mortality rates.
Recent research involving retired medical professionals in the United States found that individuals who engaged in regular exercise lived longer, with the optimal approach being a mix of aerobic and strength training.
Research indicates that engaging in 1.5 to 2 hours of strength training each week is linked to a 13% lower risk of death. This number increases for specific diseases, showing a 19% reduction in the risk of death from heart disease and a 27% decrease for neurological diseases like dementia.
Combining strength training with aerobic activities could produce even greater benefits, particularly for those not already meeting high aerobic activity levels (like running 5 hours a week or walking 10 hours a week).
The Importance of Muscle
Why does lifting weights contribute to increased longevity? One common misconception is that the weights must be heavy.
Strength training can be undertaken at home without expensive equipment. Bodyweight exercises like planks, sit-ups, and squats are great starting points.
On a biological level, skeletal muscle is the body’s largest organ, making up approximately 30-40% of a healthy adult’s body weight. Given this, muscles significantly influence health and aging.
Muscles play a vital role in absorbing glucose after meals; around 80% of postprandial glucose is stored in skeletal muscle.
If you’ve heard about avoiding post-meal blood sugar spikes, building muscle is one effective method to enhance glucose absorption.
Multiple studies show that strength training can lower blood sugar levels in individuals with diabetes. As strength increases, blood sugar levels decrease.
Additionally, some studies suggest strength training is more effective than aerobic exercise for managing blood sugar in diabetics, though both forms of exercise are beneficial.
It’s debatable whether individuals without diabetes need to monitor high blood sugar levels, but building muscle carries various other health benefits.
Skeletal muscles also release significant amounts of signaling molecules known as “myokines.” As our largest organ, their secretion is considered critical.
For example, exercised muscles secrete interleukin-6 (IL-6), often linked to inflammation, but in this context, it may have anti-inflammatory effects.
IL-6 also reduces visceral fat, associated with diabetes and accelerated aging. There is evidence showing exercise decreases visceral fat, but not when participants received an IL-6 blocking medication.
Myokines also influence the brain, liver, skin, and bones. This might be how exercise positively affects various aspects of our biology beyond just muscle and cardiovascular health.
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Muscle and Bone Health
Strength training not only benefits muscles but can also fortify bones, which is especially crucial for women. Post-menopausal hormonal changes can lead to substantial bone density and strength loss.
Resistance training can mitigate this issue. A study demonstrated that women in their 60s with low bone mass performed either high-intensity resistance training twice a week for eight months or completed low-intensity home exercises.
The group engaging in resistance training saw significant increases in bone density in key areas such as the lower spine and femoral head. A similar study found that men can also reap benefits.
This is vital, as hip fractures from falls are a leading cause of poor health and mortality in older adults. Younger individuals may recover from minor fractures, but elderly individuals face a 15-30% chance of mortality within a year of a hip fracture.
Exercise can significantly reduce this risk. Balance training reduces fall risk, while functional and strength training improve muscle and neuromuscular connections for swift reactions.
In summary, stronger bones translate to a higher chance of just bruising your ego instead of breaking a bone in a fall.
Getting Started with Muscle Building
It’s unfortunate that maintaining skeletal muscle mass is challenging. From the late 30s onward, individuals lose approximately 0.5 to 1% annually. While that may not seem significant, the losses accumulate over time.
Muscle strength declines 2 to 5 times faster than muscle mass, decreasing by 2 to 4 percent per year by age 75.
The good news? Strength training is effective, and it’s never too late to begin. A study involved an 8-week strength training program for nonagenarians (with the oldest being 96), leading to nearly tripled strength, a 10% increase in leg muscle mass, and a 50% boost in walking speed.
Individuals with severe illnesses can also benefit: exercise is now recommended as part of cancer treatment, enhancing quality of life during chemotherapy and radiation.
Moreover, effective strength training doesn’t require extensive effort. Increased intensity yields benefits that plateau around two hours per week.
No gym is necessary! A simple NHS strength routine can utilize a chair, wall, and water-filled bottles. Here are a few exercises to consider:
- Sit to Stand: Cross your arms over your chest and rise from a seated position, engaging only your legs. Counting repetitions in 30 seconds serves as a frailty measure.
- Wall Sit: Slide your back down the wall to a seated position and sustain your hold. This is a beneficial isometric exercise, helpful for lowering blood pressure.
- Bicep Curls: Hold water-filled bottles in each hand and gently curl them up to your shoulders, then lower back. Gradually transition to dumbbells as you progress.
While strength training is beneficial, variety in exercise routines is critical.
The same study indicating strength training reduces mortality found that aerobic exercise can achieve substantial benefits. Other research supports that a mixed exercise approach is most effective.
Though longevity merely signifies the number of years lived, it’s crucial to prioritize a healthy lifespan, which encompasses freedom from disease, strength, balance, endurance, bone density, and other factors.
Grip strength serves as a valuable metric, yet focusing solely on it may lead to training the metric rather than fostering overall physical fitness.
Grip strength correlates with mortality not merely because having a strong grip directly impacts cancer or dementia risks, but rather because a fit, healthy body can mitigate numerous age-related ailments and subsequently enhance grip strength as an effect.
Additionally, enjoying diverse activities will likely sustain your engagement and activity levels better than repetitive gym routines over the years.
Ultimately, the most effective longevity medicine isn’t a pharmaceutical solution—it’s a form of exercise that you’ll still enjoy two decades from now.
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Source: www.sciencefocus.com
