Via The Honest Channel

“Higher muscle mass correlates with better brain health. It has a protective effect on our brains. And this is really important [… because] people lose skeletal muscle at […] about 1% per year once you get to your middle age. And that means that by the time you get into your 80s, you may have lost over 50% of your skeletal mass. And this decrease in both the amount of muscle mass and the function and health of our skeletal muscle correlates with higher rates of having dementia and cognitive decline.

— The Best Expert Advice That Changed How I Age in 2025, at 1:36

---

Dr. Austin Perlmutter reveals that skeletal muscle isn’t just aesthetic—it’s an active organ that protects brain function. “Higher muscle mass correlates with better brain health. It has a protective effect on our brains,” he explains.

The research is striking:

• People lose approximately 1% of skeletal muscle per year starting in middle age
• By your 80s, you may have lost over 50% of your skeletal muscle mass
• Sarcopenia (loss of muscle function and mass) correlates with 56% increased risk of mild cognitive decline
• Sarcopenia correlates with approximately 300% increased risk of Alzheimer’s dementia
• Even weaker grip strength correlates with worse brain health at younger ages

The fundamental takeaway: building and maintaining healthy skeletal muscle must be part of any brain-centric lifestyle plan. Your muscle is a savings account for brain health.