Study Finds Leg Power Key to Slowing Cognitive Decline
A representative image of leg work keeping good memory health! (Image TRH)
Groundbreaking twin study shows leg strength in midlife predicts brain health decades later, reshaping how science views aging and memory loss.
By TRH Health Desk
NEW DELHI, August 30, 2025 — Forget crosswords and memory pills. The key to sharper thinking in old age may lie in your legs.
A landmark twin study of 300 women, led by Dr. Claire Steves at King’s College London, found that leg strength in midlife was the single strongest predictor of cognitive health a decade later. Women with stronger quads and glutes at age 55 showed significantly better memory and reasoning skills at 65, along with healthier brain scans.
The research, published in Gerontology, revealed striking biological effects:
- Larger gray matter volume
- Smaller brain ventricles
- Slower structural brain aging
“When it came to cognitive aging, leg strength was the strongest factor that had an impact in our study,” Steves said. The twin design was critical: by comparing siblings with identical DNA and shared childhoods, the study isolated muscle strength as a decisive factor independent of genetics or upbringing.
Christine Lewington highlighted the finding on X, calling it “hard science reshaping how we think about aging.” Neurophysiologist Louisa Nicola put it bluntly: “The bigger the leg muscle, the bigger the brain.”
The implications go beyond exercise. Stronger legs don’t just support balance and circulation—they may send protective biochemical signals from muscle to brain. But experts stress that maintaining leg power requires adequate protein and resistance training, especially after age 50 when muscle mass naturally declines.
Dr. Stuart Phillips, a leading muscle researcher at McMaster University, has long argued that older adults need more protein than official guidelines suggest to preserve muscle and function. “Exercise alone isn’t enough without the nutritional building blocks,” he notes.
The message is simple yet profound: squats, lunges, and deadlifts may be as important for your memory as they are for your mobility. In other words, building leg muscle is building brain insurance.
As Steves and her team conclude, strategies to prevent dementia may need to move beyond the brain itself—and start with strengthening the body.
Follow The Raisina Hills on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn
About The Author
