Which body part matters most for longevity?

Taureau

Taureau

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Which body part matters most for longevity?

Muscles, specifically the legs and core, are widely considered the most crucial body parts for senior longevity and functional independence. Maintaining muscle mass acts as an "organ" that drives metabolism, regulates immunity, and prevents falls. Strong thigh muscles and a high muscle mass index are powerful predictors of a longer, healthier lifespan

Key elements for longevity:

Leg Strength & Muscles: Crucial for maintaining mobility, balance, and preventing dangerous falls.

Muscle Mass Index: Higher muscle mass correlates with better metabolic health and lower mortality risk.

Grip Strength: A key indicator of overall strength, with lower grip strength associated with higher rates of early death.

Balance (One-Leg Stand): The inability to stand on one leg for 10 seconds is linked to higher mortality rates.

Regular resistance training is essential for maintaining this, as muscle loss accelerates with age.
 
My dick. That is my most important organ, lol.

Ok just kidding, at 54 and married to the same woman for 30 years, it’s not that important anymore.

I think you hit all the key markers.

Biggest think I think is to keep moving and doing things you always did. Don’t think you are too old to do X.

My dad is proving this, he will still push himself to see what the limits of his older body can do. At 76 he can do 15 pull ups, he wanted to see last summer how many he could do for fun, so he worked his way up from 3 to 15 over a month or so, doing them every day. He has full range of motion. If it wasn’t for the grey thin hair and the wrinkles, you would never know he’s 76 by the way he moves. He can bend move, walk, climb stairs, a ladder the same as me. I am stronger, but I’m also 40 lbs more muscular, we are the same height.
 
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In this bodybuilding / powerlifting, etc. world of ours and with more recent events, scares and deaths, over the last few years (especially the young ones), and based off my own experiences, I'd probably have to say heart overall.

We really have to especially protect and care for everything that we have as a whole though.

Yes, even Sorbate's "D" but we call leave that up to Mrs. Sorbate of course. :)

OD
 
I can't answer with any confidence unless I say heart or brain, ur definitely fucked if either of them go.

Is it the strength of these elements that directly make the difference or is it the habits of the people with these strong parts? Dollars to doughnuts the people who score high(est) in these tests are probably going to be found to be people who exercise those elements with some regularity and have better habits around eating, sleeping and taking care of themselves in general.

Those statements are likely all true but they can be interpreted in different ways and even manipulated if one chose to use them to make a point. I'll give you one counter to the strength of said statements with a question.
If I spend all day in my recliner watching Matlock and The Golden Girls reruns with bulk of my daily activity being waddling to the kitchen to refill my daily diet consumption of Pepsi and Cheetos plus going to the shitter but all day long I'm squeezing my Captains of Crush #3 grippers shut like a rabbit with a Viagra overdose will I live longer or just score high on the test?

Of the choices above though I will say Leg Strength and muscle for 2 reasons.
First they contribute to the others and to score decently at it you likely do lead a somewhat active life.
Second, and this may be based on out of date info, the correlation between falls in the elderly is hard to ignore. Part of the path goes like this - Weakness especially in the lower body contributes to falling frequency, then to broken hips which lead to a severe reduction in life expectancy.

I had to take a quick look - Stats from google just now say 20-35% of elderly die within a year of breaking a hip which is supposedly 5-8 times higher than without the fracture.
Old School taught us that skwatz were King, the thing to do if you could only do one...
 
Organs - you are fucked and your life will suck if any go (I don't want my liver, kidneys, brain, heart, skin, or any organ to go and that includes the organ @Sorbate mentions as it gives me enjoyment in life - sex is normal albeit as we age our hormones declines).
Muscles - I agree on the hips but more so include the glutes. The largest part of the body and is the first thing for most older men to go, and typically go with most older women. I work my glutes like women do (who are trying to build a big butt) with compound exercises like belt squats and isolation exercises like hyper-extensions holding heavy weight. Most neuro-osteopaths indicate knee/hip/angle strength and even back strength start with glute strength and muscle mass. We squat everyday all day if you are active and without strong glutes you are putting stress on other parts of the body. I think legs and back are essential for balance / pain etc. If I had to pick one muscle it would be glutes but being active - whether chopping wood or lifting weights is resistance training. Doing the things you likes and not making excuses. Two of my relatives in their 70's and 80's both can bike 60 km's for fun, go swimming, have lunch and bike back (30 km's each way). They go on the same long canoe trips, go to the beach and swim, and are more active than most 40 year olds. Never touched a weight but you can see the mans legs and glute muscles for a man 85 year old. The woman still has an hourglass figure. They grow their own vegetables, shovel their own walkway, and use a hand snowblower to clear their driveway. The man reads all the time but enjoy their treats and movies just like kids. Play board games with us that are made for adults (somewhat perverted) and get almost all of it. They lead a young person's life and I believe they are still kicking because they never stopped.
Not sure if there is an answer - I am not old by any peson's stretch but I still box, lift weights, do balance exercises, as I know as time goes on my bones will become more brittle.
Primo was one of the safer and best steroids to take (my opinion) to add to TRT - gents on TRT, I believe were better off on 50/50 - test/primo vs. just test, higher free test, sex drive, lymphocyte count, stronger bones, etc.
The medical system has to change and stop accepting that is your 70, your life is behind you so keeping you active is not as important as a 25 year old who tears their ACL. I blame the medical system for some of acceptance of lower hormone levels, when naturally high hormone levels (in normal parameters) is known to bring happiness/muscle mass, etc. We don't have an endocrinologist in this Province (great medical system) and my doctor can read a thyroid test or testosterone test because the computer states H or L, but does he truly understand what it does to your quality of life - I don't think so.
Long term lifting / exercise builds stronger joints, muscles, thicker/stronger ligaments/tendons - within reason. Keep moving and you should wear out / not rust out.
 
Great thread. No secret I have mangled every body part some more than once. I find if I keep my legs strong and reduce stress my whole life is better. I travel, walking around airports, traversing cityscapes and hill country require a strong set of legs and balance/coordination.
When my health was at its worst and finances were then and still to a degree affected by the cost of extended care. The stress has the biggest affect on my entire system. I feel fatigued, BP elevates, sleep disrupted etc...

My position is legs and stress management. Meditation, prayer, yoga, talk therapy, squats, lunges, DBRDL. Getting laid helps too!
 
gondar1 said:
I can't answer with any confidence unless I say heart or brain, ur definitely fucked if either of them go.

Is it the strength of these elements that directly make the difference or is it the habits of the people with these strong parts? Dollars to doughnuts the people who score high(est) in these tests are probably going to be found to be people who exercise those elements with some regularity and have better habits around eating, sleeping and taking care of themselves in general.

Those statements are likely all true but they can be interpreted in different ways and even manipulated if one chose to use them to make a point. I'll give you one counter to the strength of said statements with a question.
If I spend all day in my recliner watching Matlock and The Golden Girls reruns with bulk of my daily activity being waddling to the kitchen to refill my daily diet consumption of Pepsi and Cheetos plus going to the shitter but all day long I'm squeezing my Captains of Crush #3 grippers shut like a rabbit with a Viagra overdose will I live longer or just score high on the test?

Of the choices above though I will say Leg Strength and muscle for 2 reasons.
First they contribute to the others and to score decently at it you likely do lead a somewhat active life.
Second, and this may be based on out of date info, the correlation between falls in the elderly is hard to ignore. Part of the path goes like this - Weakness especially in the lower body contributes to falling frequency, then to broken hips which lead to a severe reduction in life expectancy.

I had to take a quick look - Stats from google just now say 20-35% of elderly die within a year of breaking a hip which is supposedly 5-8 times higher than without the fracture.
Old School taught us that skwatz were King, the thing to do if you could only do one...
Click to expand...
If I could only do one exercise squats would be it.
 
All of it.

To single out one subsystem in a system misses the point that those subsystems work in harmony with each other (at least they're supposed to) in said system.

For example, what use is a car that looks perfect with a blown engine or a broken suspension?

All that aside, I agree with @Goldenrod, it's likely organs. Stephen Hawking lived into his 70s and as disabled as they come. Without working organs forget it.

Not saying this is definitive but it speaks to what kept him alive for so long and rules out exercise or skeletal muscle in the most extreme example I could think of.
 
In the medical field they say your calf is your second heart . The better you take care of your calves the healthier your heart is.
 
You can transplant many organs, the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas, intestine...
You can live a quality life without limbs.

But when your brain is gone, so are you..
 
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