Systematic Review & meta-analysis
Physical Strength Is Directly Tied to Longevity (Study of ~2 Million Healthy Adults)
LayMed Simplified Version
Purpose:
The researchers wanted to combine results from many long-term studies to answer a simple question: Do people with higher muscle strength have a lower risk of all-cause mortality compared with people who are weaker?
Importance:
Strength is something we can measure quickly (like grip strength), and it’s also something we can improve. If greater strength signals lower mortality risk, then strength training could be one of the most straightforward and reliable ways to increase longevity.
As people get older, muscle strength often declines—especially if someone is inactive, under-eats protein, sleeps poorly, or deals with chronic illness. Lower strength isn’t just about performance in the gym; it can affect everyday function (carrying groceries, standing from a chair, climbing stairs).
Researchers have also noticed that strength can act like an overall health signal. That’s partly because strength depends on multiple systems working well at once—muscles, nerves, energy production, and overall health status. This is why simple strength tests (like grip strength) are commonly used in health and aging research.
Study design: A Systematic Review and meta-analysis.
Where they searched: Large research databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and SPORTDiscus) plus additional searching from reference lists.
What they included (this is “What they included,” placed in Methods):
38 long-term cohort studies.
1,907,580 total participants
63,087 total deaths tracked across those studies
Strength tests used: Most commonly grip strength, and in some studies knee extension strength.
People with higher grip strength had a 31%—40% lower risk of dying (from any cause) during follow-up compared with people with lower grip strength, depending on their sex:
Women with higher grip strength had 40% lower risk
- Men with higher grip strength had 31% lower risk
Both men and women with higher knee extension strength had about a 14% lower risk of dying (from any cause) compared with those with lower leg strength.
Strength is a key factor for longevity.
Therefore strength training is likely a highly effective strategy for extending healthy lifespan.Key Figures
Disclaimer: This simplified version is LayMed’s own interpretation of the original article’s text, and may or may not accurately reflect the beliefs, views, or findings of the authors. The original article was published in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Citation: García-Hermoso A, Cavero-Redondo I, Ramírez-Vélez R, Ruiz JR, Ortega FB, Lee DC, Martínez-Vizcaíno V. Muscular Strength as a Predictor of all-cause mortality in an Apparently Healthy Population: A Systematic Review and meta-analysis of Data From Approximately 2 Million Men and Women. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2018 Oct;99(10):2100-2113.e5. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2018.01.008.