Physical endurance begins to gradually decline as early as 35 years old.
Physical endurance, strength, and muscle performance begin to gradually decline as early as 35 years old. This conclusion was reached by scientists from the Karolinska Institute, who have observed changes in physical fitness in men and women for nearly 50 years. The results were published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle (JCSM).
As part of the Swedish Physical Activity and Fitness Study (SPAF), scientists regularly tested several hundred randomly selected participants aged 16 to 63, measuring endurance, muscle strength, and resistance to loads. Unlike one-time observations, this allowed for tracking real age-related changes in the same individuals over decades.
The analysis showed that after 35 years, physical indicators begin to decline regardless of the level of training, and this process accelerates with age. However, the researchers emphasize that even those who started exercising regularly in adulthood improved their physical condition by 5-10 percent — which significantly slowed the overall decline.
According to the study authors, physical activity cannot completely stop age-related changes, but it can significantly mitigate their effects. The research continues: in the coming years, scientists plan to link changes in physical fitness with lifestyle, health status, and biological aging mechanisms to better understand how to maintain a functional body for as long as possible.
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