A new episode of the Alliance’s podcast series This Is Growing Old features muscle health expert Dr. Stuart Phillips discussing sarcopenia — rapid muscle loss which can impact quality of life — and what individuals can do to maintain strength, mobility, and independence as they age. The episode, “How to Live Longer and Stronger” explores the latest science on resistance training, protein intake, and muscle preservation, offering clear, actionable guidance rooted in decades of research.
Dr. Phillips is a professor in the Department of Kinesiology and the School of Medicine at McMaster University in Ontario, where he directs the Physical Activity Centre of Excellence (PACE) and the McMaster Centre for Nutrition, Exercise, and Health Research. He also leads the Exercise Metabolism Research Group, with research focused on the impact of physical activity and dietary protein on skeletal muscle across the lifespan.
Dr. Phillips was also a featured panelist at the 2024 Gerontological Society of America (GSA) Annual Scientific Meeting, in a session supported by the Alliance titled “Sarcopenia: No Consensus, No Diagnostic Criteria, and No Approved Indication. How Did We Get Here?” There, he, along with an incredible panel of experts, explored the challenges in diagnosing and treating sarcopenia.
In the podcast, Dr. Phillips joins Alliance Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Health Education Lindsay Clarke to discuss what happens to our muscles as we age, what defines sarcopenia, and why muscle health is a key driver of longevity and independence. He emphasizes that although some muscle loss with age is inevitable, the rate and severity of decline are not. Through strength training, adequate protein intake, and small, sustainable lifestyle adjustments, older adults can significantly slow muscle deterioration.
“It’s an investment in the future you,” Dr. Phillips explains. “A small difference now could be the reason you live independently five or six years longer.”
The Alliance has long been committed to raising awareness of sarcopenia and educating the public about the importance of muscle health. This episode builds on that body of work and complements the Alliance’s previous video resources on sarcopenia:
- Sarcopenia: Taking Charge of Your Muscle Health As You Age
- Preventing And Treating Muscle Loss With Age Webinar
In this latest podcast conversation, Dr. Phillips also discusses how to navigate muscle loss when using GLP-1 medications, how nutrition needs shift with age, and how resistance training is not about heavy lifting or gym memberships, but about accessible, functional movements that can be performed at home, even into one’s 90s.
Thank you to Nestle Health Science for making this episode possible.
To listen to the full episode and explore additional resources on sarcopenia, visit AgingResearch.org/aging-in-motion or subscribe to This Is Growing Old wherever you get your podcasts.
Katrin Werner-Perez is the Director of Health Programs for the Alliance for Aging Research.
