Why lifting weights is more important for women than for men

American men are much more likely to pursue strength training than women. CDC data published in May 2022 revealed that 35.2% of adult men and 26.9% of adult women met the federal guideline for muscle-strengthening physical activity – engaging in activities such as sit-ups, push-ups, or lifting weights at least two times per week.

There are numerous reasons to tax your body through weight-bearing activity. From increasing metabolism and trimming body fat to alleviating anxiety and boosting cognitive function, the range of physical and mental benefits is extensive. Both men and women can take advantage.

There is a key aspect of weightlifting, however, from which women derive far more benefit than men: increased bone density.

The best way to strengthen your bones is through weight-bearing activity. As I previously wrote in 2023:

The stress placed on bones by squatting, pressing, deadlifting, pulling, or doing pretty much any motion with added resistance kicks bone-synthesizing cells called osteoblasts into high gear. They start producing collagen, other specialized proteins, and hydroxyapatite — the bone mineral — and forming these raw materials into more bone for your spine, femur, tibia, and any other bones that are bearing the added weight. The result is a stronger skeleton, one more resistant to fracture.

Boosting skeletal strength is especially key for women. Not only do they generally have smaller, thinner bones than men, their bones also decay faster with age. Moreover, women lose as much as a tenth of their skeletal mass in the five years after menopause, when levels of the hormone estrogen crater.

This unfortunate physiological reality puts women at much higher risk of osteoporosis, a condition where bones become so weakened that they easily fracture, even from merely coughing or bending over. Ten million people in the U.S. over the age of 50 have osteoporosis, and eight million are women. Twenty-seven million more women have a precursor condition called osteopenia – essentially low bone mass.

A bone fracture at advanced age can be permanently debilitating. Six out of ten people who break a hip never fully regain their prior level of independence, according to Harvard Medical School. Between 16 and 18 percent of women will fracture a hip, a rate three times higher than men.

Women generally start losing bone mass around age 30, so to slow this decay, it’s best to build up one’s skeleton through weight training as a young-adult. People at any age can bolster their bones, however. The Royal Osteoporosis Society has an excellent guide on how to exercise for bone health.