How does age typically affect lean body mass?

As individuals age, there is a natural decline in lean body mass, primarily due to the loss of muscle tissue. This phenomenon, known as sarcopenia, can start as early as the thirties and tends to accelerate in later decades. Various factors contribute to this decrease, including hormonal changes, decreased physical activity, and changes in dietary habits.

Regular strength training and adequate protein intake can help mitigate this decline in lean body mass; however, the overall trend remains that as a person ages, they usually experience a reduction in muscle mass. Consequently, the choice indicating that lean body mass tends to decrease with age is substantiated by extensive research and literature in exercise physiology and gerontology.