On average, most people lose 1% of their muscle mass per year and 3% of their strength per year after age 50. It's even worse if you're inactive—strength drops by 4% annually in people who don't engage in resistance exercise! Strength training and a high protein intake can slow or mitigate age-related declines in muscle, and this is important. More muscle enhances metabolism, improves insulin sensitivity, and protects against diabetes. But muscle also safeguards against falls and fractures, which can be a literal death sentence for older adults— up to 58% of older adults who experience a hip fracture die within 12 months of the injury. The evidence is clear: more muscle lowers mortality risk, while less muscle and a higher fat mass increases it. And while resistance exercise is the most important factor for building and maintaining muscle, optimizing protein intake is a proven strategy to increase healthspan at every age. Discover the optimal protein intake tailored to your age, physical activity, and goals in my new episode, The Science of Protein (Episode 97), now available on all major platforms. Watch now: youtu.be/fvO8e-2y37k