True or false: Women over 40 can’t build muscle? California cardiologist with 20 years of experience reveals the truth

After 40, women's bodies go through metabolic and hormonal changes, but does that mean muscle growth stops? Dr Bhojraj reveals the truth.

If you’re over 40 and thinking about joining the gym or picking up weights to get stronger, you’ve probably heard the familiar warning: it’s too late to build muscle now. Hormonal changes, slower recovery and ageing bodies often make strength training feel intimidating - or even pointless - for women in midlife. But is the idea that women can’t build muscle after 40 actually true, or just another long-standing myth that needs debunking?

Dr Sanjay Bhojraj, an interventional cardiologist and functional medicine expert with over 20 years of experience, is challenging one of the most enduring myths in women’s health - that women over 40 cannot build muscle. In an Instagram video shared on December 20, the cardiologist debunks the myth, explaining what actually changes in the body with age, and how to work with it effectively.

Can women build muscle after 40?

According to Dr Bhojraj, one of the most persistent and damaging myths in women’s health is the belief that women lose the ability to build muscle after 40. He clarifies that muscle-building capacity does not suddenly switch off with age; rather, the body’s internal mechanisms evolve. Hormonal shifts, recovery needs and metabolic changes mean the physiological environment for muscle growth is different - but not deficient.

He explains, “Age does not shut down your ability to grow muscle. What changes is the environment your muscle is trying to grow in. Hormones shift, recovery slows, stress load increases, and nutrition often becomes misaligned with what the body actually needs. But the machinery for muscle growth is still there.”

Dr Bhojraj emphasises that resistance training - a cornerstone of muscle building - becomes even more crucial during perimenopause and menopause. However, he notes that the results may look different at this stage of life. As the cardiologist explains, “You’ll probably end up getting more toned, than getting huge and ripped,” highlighting that strength training during this phase prioritises muscle quality, function and long-term health over sheer size.

How to support muscle growth after 40?

The cardiologist strongly underscores that muscle growth is absolutely achievable for women over 40 - provided they create the right internal environment for it. This means prioritising quality sleep, managing and working with stress rather than against it, fuelling the body with proper nutrition, and aligning training with hormonal shifts. When these foundations are in place, the body is far more receptive to building and maintaining muscle strength at this stage of life.

Dr Bhojraj explains, “When women over 40 support sleep, manage stress, eat enough protein, and train in a way that works with their hormones instead of against them, muscle growth absolutely happens. I see it every day. Strength improves, metabolism becomes more responsive, bone density benefits, and confidence returns.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.