Why muscle matters for your mind

After age 50, we lose 1% to 2% of our muscle mass each year — a decline doctors call sarcopenia when it becomes severe enough to affect daily life. With the rise of GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Wegovy potentially accelerating muscle loss in some users, it is important to understand the connection.

In a new study, researchers at Johns Hopkins used MRI scans of a specific jaw muscle as an indicator of overall muscle mass to track more than 600 adults for nearly 6 years. People with the greatest muscle loss were 60% more likely to develop dementia. This appears linked to muscle tissue’s surprising role as an endocrine organ, releasing hormones called myokines that help control inflammation and support nerve cell function.

The good news is there are ways to manage sarcopenia, and, as co-author Prof. Shadpour Demehri explained, “These interventions may help prevent or slow down muscle loss and subsequently reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.”

To learn more about how muscle strength protects brain health and for practical ways to maintain both, jump to “Dementia: Muscle loss with aging may increase risk.”

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Stay informed and stay healthy!

Tim Snaith

Newsletter Editor, Medical News Today