Obesity is widely recognised as a global crisis, but one health expert has warned of a more insidious trend that’s wreaking havoc on our health and shortening lifespans.
Speaking to Steven Bartlett, host of the Diary of CEO podcast, Dr Gabrielle Lyon emphasised the importance of exercise and strength training alongside diet.
During their discussion, Dr Lyon and Bartlett covered a range of health-related topics, including the impact of weak muscles and inadequate exercise routines on fertility, sleep, and increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular disease.
Dr Gabrielle Lyon is a leading figure in muscle science and a board-certified physician for athletes, CEOs, and Navy Seals. She is also the founder of Muscle-Centric Medicine and the bestselling author of Forever Strong: A New, Science-Based Strategy for Aging Well.
At the beginning of their conversation, Dr Lyon highlighted how a shift in perspective about muscle can have long-term positive effects on health, reports Gloucestershire Live.
She argued that exercise and workouts aimed at strengthening muscles can prevent disease, optimise your body, and fundamentally alter your ageing process.
“Everybody focuses on obesity, but obesity is not our problem. If you are in the lower one-third of strength, you have a 50% greater risk of dying from nearly anything. You have to prioritise skeletal muscle,” she said.
Speaking with Bartlett, Dr Lyon emphasised the significance of skeletal muscle, stating: “This is the organ of longevity, the only organ system that you have voluntary control over.”
She highlighted the critical role of skeletal muscle, which accounts for about 40% of the human body’s weight and performs multiple functions, such as:
- movement, such as breathing, swallowing, and moving the body.
- posture
- body temperature
- nutrients, skeletal muscle stores nutrients
- joints, skeletal muscle stabilizes joints
Dr Lyon stressed that getting older isn’t all about the way you look, but how it should be all about your performance. She then shared a concerning fact: “Only 6 to 8% of people are meeting the resistance training guidelines and the majority of individuals are sedentary.”
Inquiring about his future health, Bartlett asked what life would look like if he neglected exercise for the next 30 years. Dr Lyon responded with a stark caution: “Are you ready?”
She outlined the harmful outcome of living a sedentary lifestyle, predicting that by the age of 61, without regular exercise, Bartlett would face a high risk of serious diseases.
“You’re 30 right now, so Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular disease is likely throughout your lifespan,” Dr Lyon warned Bartlett.
She suggested his reproductive health would suffer: “Your testosterone is probably low and your sperm quality isn’t as good as it could have been.”
Bartlett asked if there is a connection between fertility and muscle mass, to which Dr Lyon confirmed.
Concluding her warnings, Dr Lyon painted a grim picture of Bartlett’s potential future, describing it as one of significant health deterioration – including obesity, sleep apnoea, impaired brain and metabolic health.
The expert advises exercising at least three times a week to build strong skeletal muscle.
She explained: “Your skeletal muscle is your primary site for glucose metabolism and fatty acid metabolism. It is your body armour. Those that are in the lower one-third for strength, you have a 50% greater risk of dying from nearly anything.”
Dr Lyon also highlighted the connection between strength and brain health, stating: “The majority of dementia is Alzheimer’s dementia, which plays a role in metabolic regulation – type three diabetes of the brain.”
She warned that having unhealthy skeletal muscle can lead to insulin resistance in both the muscles and the brain, emphasising that a sedentary lifestyle is incompatible with overall health.