Muscle, Metabolism & Healthy Ageing: Why Muscle Matters for Long-Term Health
Muscle, Metabolism & Weight: Why Muscle Shapes Your Health
Muscle, Metabolism & Healthy Ageing: Why Muscle Matters for Long-Term Health
When people think about muscle, they often think about:
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Strength
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Appearance
But muscle is far more than that.
Muscle is one of the largest and most metabolically active tissues in the body.
It plays important roles in:
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Movement
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Physical function
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Mobility
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Strength
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Recovery
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Healthy ageing
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Overall wellbeing
Understanding the importance of muscle can change the way we think about health, nutrition and ageing.
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Is Muscle an Organ?
While muscle is typically classified as a tissue rather than a single organ, researchers increasingly recognise that skeletal muscle functions as a highly active system that communicates throughout the body.
Muscle helps:
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Generate movement
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Support posture
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Maintain physical function
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Store energy
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Support active lifestyles
Researchers also continue to investigate how muscle communicates with other systems through signalling molecules known as myokines.
Why Muscle Matters
Muscle contributes to much more than strength.
Healthy muscle supports:
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Mobility
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Balance
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Physical independence
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Recovery
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Daily function
This becomes increasingly important as we age.
Maintaining muscle mass is one of the most important strategies for supporting healthy ageing and quality of life.
Muscle and Metabolism
Muscle is one of the most metabolically active tissues in the body.
Because muscle requires energy to maintain itself, it contributes to overall energy expenditure.
Researchers continue to investigate the relationship between:
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Muscle mass
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Physical activity
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Healthy ageing
For this reason, maintaining muscle is often considered an important component of long-term health.
Muscle and Weight Management
Many people focus exclusively on weight loss.
However, body composition is often just as important as body weight.
Healthy nutrition and exercise strategies aim to:
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Support muscle maintenance
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Preserve strength
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Encourage physical activity
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Support overall wellbeing
Rather than focusing solely on losing weight, many experts encourage maintaining or building muscle while pursuing long-term health goals.
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Muscle and Physical Function
Muscle supports nearly every movement we make.
From climbing stairs to carrying groceries, muscle contributes to:
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Daily function
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Balance
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Stability
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Mobility
Maintaining muscle becomes particularly important during later life when preserving independence is a major contributor to quality of life.
Muscle as We Age
Age-related muscle loss is known as sarcopenia.
Natural declines in muscle mass can occur gradually throughout adulthood and may accelerate later in life.
Potential consequences include:
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Reduced strength
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Reduced mobility
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Lower physical function
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Increased fall risk
This is why healthy ageing strategies often focus on preserving muscle through:
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Resistance training
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Adequate protein intake
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Physical activity
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Recovery
Why Protein Matters
Protein provides amino acids that contribute to the maintenance and growth of muscle.
Examples of protein-rich foods include:
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Fish
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Eggs
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Poultry
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Lean meats
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Dairy foods
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Legumes
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Soy foods
Adequate protein intake becomes increasingly important throughout adulthood and during healthy ageing.
Complete Proteins and Functional Proteins
Not all proteins are identical.
Complete Proteins
Complete proteins provide all essential amino acids and include:
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Meat
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Fish
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Eggs
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Dairy
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Soy
These proteins are important for muscle maintenance and growth.
Functional Proteins
Functional proteins provide specific amino acid profiles that may complement a balanced diet.
Examples include:
These foods provide collagen-derived amino acids including:
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Glycine
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Proline
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Hydroxyproline
A balanced nutrition approach can include both complete proteins and collagen-rich foods.
Where Bone Broth Fits
Bone broth has become increasingly popular among active individuals and healthy ageing communities.
A serve of Broth & Co Bone Broth provides approximately 5g of naturally occurring protein together with collagen-derived amino acids.
These amino acids include:
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Glycine
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Glutamine
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Proline
Many people choose to include bone broth as part of broader nutrition routines focused on:
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Protein intake
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Recovery nutrition
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Healthy ageing
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Active lifestyles
Broth & Co Clinical Study
Broth & Co Bone Broth Powder is supported by a published clinical study investigating digestive wellbeing and markers associated with intestinal permeability.
The study demonstrated improvements in digestive wellbeing outcomes together with improvements in markers associated with intestinal permeability following daily bone broth consumption.
Muscle and Active Lifestyles
For physically active individuals, muscle plays a central role in:
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Strength
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Endurance
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Performance
Supporting muscle health generally involves:
1. Resistance Training
Resistance exercise remains one of the most effective strategies for building and maintaining muscle.
2. Adequate Protein Intake
Protein provides the building blocks required for muscle maintenance and adaptation.
3. Recovery
Recovery allows the body to adapt to training and physical activity.
4. Consistency
Long-term habits often produce the most meaningful results.
Muscle and Women’s Health
Muscle is particularly important for women throughout adulthood.
As hormonal changes occur with age, maintaining strength and physical function becomes increasingly important.
Many healthy ageing strategies for women focus on:
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Resistance training
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Adequate protein intake
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Mobility
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Recovery
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Bone health
Supporting muscle health can help maintain physical function and independence throughout life.
Muscle and Healthy Ageing
Researchers consistently identify muscle health as one of the strongest predictors of healthy ageing.
Healthy ageing is not simply about living longer.
It is about maintaining:
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Mobility
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Strength
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Physical function
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Independence
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Quality of life
Maintaining muscle supports all of these goals.
Building and Maintaining Muscle
Resistance Training
Strength training provides a stimulus for muscle maintenance and growth.
Prioritise Protein
Include protein-rich foods throughout the day.
Stay Active
Regular movement supports physical function and mobility.
Recover Well
Sleep and recovery remain important components of any healthy lifestyle strategy.
Eat Nutrient-Dense Foods
Focus on whole foods, vegetables, fruit, quality protein sources and healthy fats.
Final Thoughts
Muscle is about much more than appearance.
It contributes to:
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Physical function
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Mobility
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Strength
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Recovery
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Healthy ageing
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Long-term wellbeing
By prioritising resistance training, adequate protein intake, recovery and consistent healthy habits, you can support muscle health throughout every stage of life.
At Broth & Co, we believe healthy ageing starts with building strong foundations—and muscle is one of the most important foundations of all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is muscle important as we age?
Yes. Maintaining muscle supports mobility, physical function and independence throughout life.
What is sarcopenia?
Sarcopenia refers to the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength.
How much protein do I need?
Protein needs vary between individuals depending on age, activity level and health goals.
Is bone broth a complete protein?
No. Bone broth provides collagen-derived amino acids but is not considered a complete protein.
Can bone broth contribute to protein intake?
Yes. Broth & Co Bone Broth provides approximately 5g of naturally occurring protein per serve and can contribute to daily protein intake as part of a balanced diet.