Healthy Agers
Symptoms · Muscle and strength

Muscle loss after 60: what to do this month

Quick answer: Yes, muscle mass and strength slowly decline with age – doctors call it sarcopenia – and it can speed up after 65. It is not a one-way street: strength training at least two days a week is the main way to slow it or build muscle back, and enough protein helps. If you feel general weakness, or lose weight without trying, talk to a doctor.

What is muscle loss (sarcopenia)?

  • NIA describes sarcopenia as “a decline in muscle mass, strength, and function”. It is linked to “weakness; fatigue; lower energy levels; and difficulty standing, walking, and climbing stairs”. It is more likely with chronic disease, and poor nutrition and lack of exercise raise the odds. It can affect middle-aged people too. (NIA, falls page, reviewed 12 Sep 2022; NIA, 30 Jun 2022)
  • Peak and decline. Muscle mass and strength peak around age 30–35, then decline slowly, and faster after 65 for women and 70 for men. (NIA, 30 Jun 2022)
  • How fast? Sources differ. Harvard Health says sarcopenia can begin around 35 and runs about 1–2% a year for the typical person, and “after age 60, it can accelerate to 3 percent a year”. It adds that adults who do not strength-train can lose 4–6 pounds of muscle per decade. (Harvard Health, 23 Feb 2026) A 2024 Harvard Health article says sarcopenia affects “nearly 50% of adults above the age of 80”. We show the range because the sources do not agree on one number.
  • Why it matters. Weaker muscles raise the risk of falls and fractures. NIA: “more than one in four people age 65 years or older fall each year.” Harvard Health notes that people with stronger muscles are less likely to fall and less likely to be seriously injured when they do.
  • Disuse matters. Harvard Health: “disuse of muscles plays a bigger role than many people suspect.”

What helps

  1. Strength training at least 2 days a week, working the major muscle groups at moderate effort, to the point where another repeat would be hard. NIA: 8–12 repetitions; one set is effective and two or three may be better; beginners can start without weights or with bands; do not work the same muscle group on consecutive days; warm up; breathe out during the effort. (NIA, “Three types of exercise”, reviewed 14 Jan 2025) The NHS also recommends strength, balance and flexibility activities on at least 2 days a week, plus 150 minutes of moderate activity. (NHS, reviewed 15 Aug 2024)
  2. Walking and resistance training together. NIA researcher Fielding: “the best recipe for improving physical function and avoiding disability is a combination of walking and resistance training.” and “Even a low-intensity strength and walking program has substantial benefits.” (NIA, 30 Jun 2022)
  3. Enough protein (see below).
  4. Check with your doctor first if you have medical conditions or have not exercised for some time. (NHS)

How much protein?

  • The Recommended Dietary Allowance for the average adult is 0.36 g per pound of body weight, which is about 0.8 g per kg (for example, 165 lb gives about 60 g a day). In one study, about 46% of people aged 51 and over did not meet the protein recommendation. Spread protein through the day, with good sources at each meal. Whole foods first: beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, lean meat, fish, dairy, soy. For supplements, Harvard says to consult with your doctor. Very high intake (over about 0.9 g per pound) can cause dehydration or aggravate kidney problems in people with kidney disease. (Harvard Health, 14 Aug 2024)
  • Some research suggests more than the RDA is useful when you train: a study mentioned in an older Harvard Health article suggested 1–1.3 g per kg per day, divided equally among meals. Ask your doctor, especially if you have kidney disease. (Harvard Health, 19 Feb 2016: older article, so treat with care)

Protein per day box

Nothing you enter is saved or sent. These are reference values from Harvard Health, not a personal recommendation. Ask your doctor if you have kidney disease.

See also our nutrition section on protein and maintaining muscle.

A 4-week “this month” plan

About this plan: the Healthy Agers team put this plan together from exercises and advice published by the NHS and NIA. It is not a published program, and it is not medically reviewed.

  • 2 strength days a week (for example Monday and Thursday). NHS routine: sit-to-stand, mini-squats, calf raises, sideways leg lift, leg extension, wall press-up, biceps curls (light weights or filled water bottles). Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions and build to 8–12 repetitions over 3–4 weeks, then 2 sets. (NHS “Strength exercises”, reviewed 28 Feb 2024) Or use bands: resistance band exercises.
  • Walk most days. Build toward about 150 minutes a week of moderate activity. (NIA; NHS)
  • Protein at every meal, for example fish, eggs, beans, dairy or tofu.
  • Track it. Do the chair stand test at the start and again after 4 weeks (compare with the CDC reference values). Walking speed is another simple check: see make walking a habit. Our printable exercise sheets help you keep a record.

When to get medical help

Call your local emergency number now (911 in the US, 999 in the UK) if you have: chest pain or a squeezing feeling in the chest; sudden weakness or numbness in the face, an arm or a leg, especially on one side; sudden confusion, trouble speaking or seeing; fainting or collapsing; or a fall where you are hurt or cannot get up.

Book a visit with your doctor soon if: you have fallen since your last check-up, even without pain; the problem is getting worse over weeks; you are losing weight without trying; you feel dizzy, sleepy or unsteady after starting a new medicine; or you are simply worried.

For this page in particular:

  • You are losing weight without trying. The NHS says to see a GP if you keep losing weight without changing your diet or exercise.
  • Weakness came on quickly, or you feel weak in one arm or leg. This can be a sign of a stroke, which needs emergency help.
  • You have kidney disease or take several medicines, and want to change your protein intake or start supplements. Ask your doctor first.

Never stop or change a medicine because of something you read here. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist first.

Questions people ask

How much muscle do you lose after 60?

Estimates vary. Harvard Health says about 1–2% a year for the typical person, and that after age 60 it can accelerate to 3% a year. NIA says the decline is faster after 65 for women and 70 for men. Strength training can slow it. Sources: Harvard Health; NIA.

Can you rebuild muscle after 60?

NIA says it is possible for many older adults to increase muscle strength with exercise. A Harvard Health article quotes Dr. Thomas Storer: “it is never too late to rebuild muscle and maintain it.” Sources: NIA; Harvard Health (2016).

How to prevent muscle loss after 60?

Do strength training at least two days a week, keep walking, eat enough protein, and see a doctor about unexplained weakness. Sources: NIA; NHS; Harvard Health.

How much protein do older adults need?

The Recommended Dietary Allowance for the average adult is about 0.8 g per kg of body weight. Some research suggests 1–1.3 g per kg when you do resistance training. Ask your doctor first, especially if you have kidney disease. Source: Harvard Health.

Is muscle loss different for men?

The advice is the same for men and women: strength training, walking and enough protein. We make no sex-specific claims here. Source: NIA; NHS.

Is muscle loss the same as sarcopenia?

Sarcopenia is the term for a decline in muscle mass, strength and function that comes with age. “Muscle loss” is the everyday phrase for the same thing. Source: NIA.

Do I need protein powder?

Whole foods come first: beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, lean meat, fish, dairy and soy. Ask your doctor before taking supplements. Source: Harvard Health (2024).

Also useful: Chair exercises · Resistance band exercises · Nutrition · Chair stand test · Trouble getting up from a chair.

Sources

Last checked 9 October 2026. All sources above were opened and read on that date.