When we’re young, the thought of aging and losing vitality seems far off. However, a comprehensive 47-year study indicates that most people reach their physical peak before hitting middle age.
Although many avoid contemplating the age when physical resilience wanes, Swedish Research Council-funded research suggests that this turning point isn’t as far away as we might think.
Tracking the physical abilities of a balanced group of 427 individuals for nearly five decades, the study concluded that physical peak occurs from age 35 onwards.
Swedish scientists identified that the decline in physical ability speeds up with age due to a gradual reduction in skeletal muscle mass.
Interestingly, they discovered that one particular habit can slow this decline.
For those who regularly exercise, the peak age of 35 remains unchanged, though fitness helps slow the rate of decline.
Though maintaining fitness is crucial for physical health, it won’t completely restore the fitness levels of one’s teens or twenties.
Previous studies, as noted by ScienceAlert, indicate a similar peak for top athletes, with their performance declining from age 30.
This suggests that the body’s mechanism for muscle mass reduction might begin well before physical performance visibly declines, and exercise cannot fully counteract this process.
The findings, published in the *Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia, and Muscle*, reflect the general population rather than elite athletes.
Their results mirror earlier findings on muscle loss in athletes.
Unlike many studies that focus on snapshots in time, this longitudinal study monitored individuals’ health over their lifetimes.
Beginning in 1974 with participants aged 16, their physical strength and fitness were assessed at ages 16, 27, 34, 52, and 63.
The study found muscle mass peaked at age 27 for men and 19 for women. Thereafter, muscle decline occurred at a rate of 0.2 to 0.5 percent annually. By age 63, participants’ fitness levels had decreased by 30 to 48 percent.
However, those consistently active since age 16 maintained better overall metrics, despite a decline from age 35.
Lead researcher Maria Westerståhl stated: “It is never too late to start moving. Our study shows that physical activity can slow the decline in performance, even if it cannot completely stop it.”
“Now we will look for the mechanisms behind why everyone reaches their peak performance at age 35, and why physical activity can slow performance loss but not completely halt it.”