Men and women lose muscle with age at a similar rate

This Australian study of 8,582 adults found men and women lose muscle at similar rates with aging: men lost 11.3% of skeletal muscle while women lost 15.4% from peak to age 75+. Women start losing muscle earlier (age 25 vs 38 for men), but the overall percentage decline is comparable. Men started and ended with more muscle than women. The large sample and rigorous methods support the claim, though this snapshot comparison is weaker than tracking individuals over time and only studied people of European descent. Limitation: The study excluded 52 pregnant women, 428 diabetic adults, and 790 menopausal women and BIA is less accurate than DXA or MRI for body composition. Recommendations: Longitudinal studies tracking individuals over decades, research including diverse ethnicities, more precise measurement methods (DXA/MRI), and intervention studies would strengthen this evidence.