How does grip strength predict long-term heart and brain health?

Grip strength serves as a clinically significant "vital sign" for biological age, reflecting systemic vulnerabilities like inflammation and vascular integrity rather than just localized muscle mass. In terms of cardiovascular health, it acts as a proxy for arterial stiffness and is a stronger predictor of mortality than blood pressure, with every 5 kg decrease linked to a significantly higher risk of heart attack and stroke . regarding brain health, grip strength measures neuromuscular efficiency and involves the release of neuroprotective myokines that support memory and neurogenesis. Consequently, low grip strength is associated with accelerated biological aging and a higher risk of dementia, while high strength helps mitigate genetic susceptibility to Alzheimer’s disease.