There’s a funny thing that happens once you hit your 40s.
One minute, you’re carrying six grocery bags in one trip because you refuse to make two. Next, you stand up from the floor and make a noise you didn’t know your body could produce.
As we get older, we naturally begin losing muscle mass - a process known as sarcopenia. While it can start as early as our 30s, it tends to become more noticeable during our 40s and beyond, particularly for women, as hormone levels begin to shift around perimenopause and menopause.
The good news is that losing muscle isn't some unavoidable part of aging that we're all doomed to accept. In fact, there’s a lot we can do to maintain, and even build, muscle well into our 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond.
Why Muscle Matters
Muscle does a whole lot more than help you fill out a pair of leggings.
Healthy muscle mass supports:
- Strength and mobility
- Bone health
- Balance and stability
- Metabolism
- Blood sugar regulation
- Healthy aging and independence later in life
Muscle is essentially your body's savings account for aging. The more muscle you have, the better equipped you are to stay active, resilient and capable as the years roll on.
For women especially, maintaining muscle becomes incredibly important after 40 because declining estrogen levels can accelerate muscle loss and increase the risk of osteoporosis and frailty later in life.
In other words, lifting heavy things now makes it far more likely you'll still be lifting your grandkids, carrying your shopping and opening stubborn jars when you're older.
Why Building Muscle Gets Harder After 40
If you've noticed your body doesn't respond quite the same way it did in your 20s, you're not imagining it.
As we age, our muscles become less responsive to the signals that stimulate muscle growth. Researchers call this anabolic resistance.
Basically, your muscles become a bit like a teenager being asked to clean their room.
They still respond eventually... but it takes more effort to get the message across.
This means that as we get older, we often need:
- More resistance training
- More dietary protein
- Better recovery
-
Better sleep
to achieve the same results we may have gotten more easily in earlier years.
The Three Biggest Things That Help Preserve Muscle
1. Resistance Training
If there was one thing that consistently shows up in the research, it's this:
Strength training works.
Resistance training helps improve muscle strength, preserve lean mass and support physical function as we age. Studies have shown benefits even in older adults and postmenopausal women.
And no, you don't need to spend two hours a day in the gym.
A few strength sessions each week can make a significant difference.
Think:
- Weight training
- Pilates with resistance
- Resistance bands
- Bodyweight exercises
- Functional strength work
The goal isn't to become a professional powerlifter (unless that’s your cup of tea); it is to remain strong enough to live life freely and on your own terms.
2. Prioritising High-Quality Protein
Protein provides the amino acids your body uses to repair and build muscle tissue.
While the general protein recommendations are often around 0.8g per kilogram of body weight, many researchers now suggest older adults may benefit from closer to 1.0–1.6g per kilogram per day, particularly if they're active and doing resistance training.
However, many women simply aren't eating enough protein throughout the day.
A piece of toast for breakfast, a light lunch and a small dinner often doesn't provide enough to support muscle retention.
That's where protein-rich foods can help, including:
- Pastured eggs
- Grass-fed & finished meat
- Pastured chicken
- Wild-caught seafood
- Quality dairy
- Legumes
- Quality protein powders
3. Recovery Matters More Than You Think
If your 20-year-old self could survive on four hours of sleep and caffeine, your 40-year-old self may have some thoughts about that.
Muscle isn't actually built during your workout.
It's built during recovery.
Prioritising:
- Sleep
- Stress management
- Rest days
- Adequate nutrition
helps your body repair and adapt to training more effectively.
A Simple Protein Boost We Love
One of our favourite ways to increase protein intake without feeling like you're eating meat all day is to include a protein powder in your routine.
The key is finding one that you enjoy and that works well for you. One we've been enjoying lately is Happy Way Vanilla Whey Protein Powder.
It mixes easily into smoothies and can also be added to:
- Smoothies
- Overnight oats
- Chia puddings
- Protein pancakes
- Greek yoghurt bowls
For many people, protein powder can be a convenient way to boost protein intake, particularly after exercise or on busy days when preparing a high protein meal isn't practical.
Creatine
Creatine has traditionally been associated with bodybuilders, but research increasingly shows benefits for women, too.
Creatine helps support strength, muscle function and exercise performance, and some emerging research suggests it may also support cognitive health as we age.
It's one of the most studied supplements available and may be particularly useful for women looking to preserve muscle and strength through midlife and beyond.
Lions Mane
Now, all this advice about lifting weights, eating more protein and looking after yourself sounds great in theory.
But if you've ever found yourself standing in the kitchen wondering why you walked in there, forgetting that you even wrote a to-do list, or feeling like your motivation packed its bags and left somewhere around perimenopause... You know it's not always that simple.
Hormonal changes can affect everything from energy and mood to focus and mental clarity. And when you're feeling mentally exhausted, finding the motivation to meal prep, get to the gym or prioritise your health can feel like a challenge in itself.
That's one reason Lion's Mane mushroom has become increasingly popular among women in midlife.
While it won't directly build muscle, some research suggests Lion's Mane may support cognitive function, memory, focus and mood. Think of it as supporting the brain while you're working on supporting the muscles.
Because sometimes the biggest barrier to strength training isn't your muscles. It's convincing your brain that putting on activewear and doing the workout is actually a good idea.
The Bottom Line
Building and maintaining muscle after 40 is all about protecting your strength, mobility, independence and long-term health.
Lift some weights.
Eat enough protein.
Get decent sleep.
Look after your brain.
And remember that it's never too late to start.
References
Arnarson A. 10 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Whey Protein. Healthline. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-health-benefits-of-whey-protein#diabetes
Buckinx F. et al. Sarcopenia in Menopausal Women: Current Perspectives. 2022. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9235827/
Friedman M. Chemistry, Nutrition, and Health-Promoting Properties of Hericium erinaceus (Lion's Mane) Mushroom Fruiting Bodies and Mycelia and Their Bioactive Compounds. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2015. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7998865/
Gunnars K. 9 Health Benefits of Lion's Mane Mushroom (Plus Side Effects). Healthline. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lions-mane-mushroom
Marzuca-Nassr G.N. et al. Muscle Mass and Strength Gains Following Resistance Exercise Training in Older Adults. 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37875254/
Nowson C. & O'Connell S. Protein Requirements and Recommendations for Older People. 2015. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26287239/
Tan T.W. et al. Effect of Non-Pharmacological Interventions on the Prevention of Sarcopenia in Menopausal Women. 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37964288/
Volpi E. et al. Muscle Tissue Changes With Aging. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15192443/
