Why Lifting Weights May Help You Live Longer

Most people think of lifting weights as a way to build muscle or burn calories. Research suggests it may also be linked to a longer life. This is general education, not medical advice, and anyone with a heart condition, injury or other health concern should check with a clinician before starting.

What the review found

In 2022, Momma and colleagues published a systematic review and meta-analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. It pooled 16 prospective studies that followed people over time.

• People who did muscle-strengthening activities had a 10 to 17 percent lower risk of dying from any cause, from cardiovascular disease and from cancer overall, and a lower risk of diabetes.
• Some press coverage reported that the largest benefit appeared at around 30 to 60 minutes of strength work a week, but the authors were careful: the pattern was curved and the best amount was unclear.
• The benefits added up when people also did aerobic activity.

Reading it carefully

• It shows association, not proof. People who lift may also sleep, eat and live differently in ways that protect health.
• Studies rely on self-reports. People described their own activity, which is imperfect.
• The message is encouraging, not magical. A modest amount seemed to go a long way, and more was not clearly better.

How it might help

Muscle helps the body handle blood sugar, supports bones and joints, and keeps everyday movement easier as we age. Our guides to strength training and bone health and muscle and calories cover other ways it pays off.

Getting started simply

• Two days a week is a solid start. The national physical activity guidelines recommend muscle-strengthening work on at least two days a week.
• Use what you have. Body weight, resistance bands, dumbbells or machines all count.
• Work the big muscle groups: legs, back, chest, shoulders, arms and core.
• Begin gently and add weight gradually. Our guide for beginners offers a simple plan, and our piece on how often to lift helps you find what fits.

You can log your workouts in the activity section of your free journal, if that helps you stay consistent. Disclosure: that tool is ours, and it was not part of the research above.

Sources

• Momma H, Kawakami R, Honda T, Sawada SS. Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2022;56(13):755-763.
• TCTMD. Strength training linked to less premature mortality, CVD, and diabetes (coverage of the same review).
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition.