Have you ever stepped on a smart scale and been shocked to see that your “metabolic age” is years—or even decades—older than your actual age? My friend Sarah certainly was. At 35, her scale declared her metabolic age to be 52! She was understandably upset, and immediately called me with questions: “How did this happen?” and more importantly, “How long will it take me to fix this?” If you’ve had a similar experience, you’re not alone. Metabolic age is becoming an increasingly popular health metric that compares your basal metabolic rate (BMR) to the average BMR of people your chronological age.
When your metabolic age exceeds your actual age, it might be a sign that your body isn’t functioning as efficiently as it could be. But the good news is that, unlike your actual age, your metabolic age isn’t set in stone—it can change, and often quite dramatically with the right approach. The question on everyone’s mind, though, is just how long does it take to lower your metabolic age? Is it a matter of weeks, months, or years? While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, understanding the factors that influence your metabolic age can help you create a realistic timeline for improvement. In this article, we’ll explore not just how long it typically takes to lower your metabolic age, but also the most effective strategies to get there, helping you set expectations that are both ambitious and achievable.
How Quickly Can Metabolic Age Change?
When it comes to lowering your metabolic age, many of us want results yesterday. But how quickly can you expect to see changes? The answer varies considerably from person to person, but most health experts suggest that noticeable improvements can begin to appear within 4-8 weeks of consistent lifestyle changes.
Your metabolic age isn’t just influenced by one factor—it’s affected by everything from your activity level and muscle mass to your diet and sleep patterns. This means that comprehensive changes tend to yield faster results than focusing on just one area. Research from the University of Westminster found that participants who combined regular strength training with improved nutrition saw their metabolic markers improve by an average of 15% after just six weeks.1
For some people, especially those starting with a significantly higher metabolic age, the initial changes can happen relatively quickly. It’s a bit like beginning a car journey in a valley—the first part of the climb is often steeper, allowing for more dramatic progress. I remember when my brother started his health journey; his metabolic age dropped by seven years in the first two months alone! However, as you get closer to your chronological age or even below it, progress typically slows down and requires more fine-tuning of your habits.
The key takeaway here is patience coupled with consistency. Quick fixes might show temporary improvements, but sustainable changes to your metabolic age require ongoing commitment. Most people see meaningful changes within 3-6 months of consistent effort, but this timeline can be shorter or longer depending on your starting point and the intensity of your lifestyle modifications.
How Can I Decrease My Metabolic Age?
Lowering your metabolic age isn’t about finding a magic pill—it’s about embracing a holistic approach to health that enhances how efficiently your body burns energy. The good news is that several effective strategies can help you on this journey.
Building muscle is perhaps one of the most powerful ways to decrease your metabolic age. Muscle tissue requires more energy to maintain than fat, so the more muscle you have, the higher your BMR will be. Aim for at least two to three strength training sessions per week, focusing on compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups simultaneously. A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that adults who did regular resistance training for 9 months increased their resting metabolism by about 7%, even when they weren’t actively exercising.2
Your Diet Plays an Equally Crucial Role-
Focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods while reducing processed items high in sugar and unhealthy fats. Protein is particularly important as it requires more energy to digest than carbohydrates or fats and helps maintain muscle mass. I’ve found that simply swapping my afternoon biscuits for a protein-rich snack like Greek yogurt with berries made a noticeable difference in my energy levels.
Don’t underestimate the power of quality sleep. Poor sleep disrupts hormones that regulate metabolism, particularly insulin and cortisol. Most adults need 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night. My colleague improved her metabolic age by three years after addressing her sleep issues alone—proof that sometimes it’s what we do at night that makes the biggest difference!
High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be particularly effective for boosting metabolism. These short bursts of intense exercise followed by recovery periods have been shown to increase metabolic rate for hours after the workout ends—a phenomenon known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) or the “afterburn effect.”
Stress management might seem unrelated to metabolism, but chronic stress elevates cortisol levels, which can lead to increased fat storage, particularly around the abdomen. Practices like meditation, yoga, or even regular walks in nature can help manage stress levels and support metabolic health.
Consistency is key—most people who successfully lower their metabolic age report that making these changes part of their daily routine, rather than temporary measures, was essential to their success.
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At What Age Will My Metabolism Slow Down?
Many of us have heard the common wisdom that metabolism inevitably declines with age, usually starting around our 30s. However, recent research has begun to challenge this long-held belief, suggesting a more nuanced understanding of metabolic changes throughout our lives.
Reference-
A groundbreaking 2021 study published in science analysed data from over 6,400 people aged 8 days to 95 years and found something surprising. Our metabolism doesn’t begin to decline until around age 60, much later than previously thought.3 The researchers discovered that metabolism remains relatively stable from ages 20 to 60, after adjusting for body size and composition.
What does appear to change earlier, however, is our body composition and activity levels. Beginning in our 30s, we typically lose about 3-8% of muscle mass per decade, a condition called sarcopenia. Since muscle tissue burns more calories than fat, this gradual loss can affect our overall energy expenditure. Combined with the fact that many of us become less active as we age, it creates the perception of a slowing metabolism when what’s really happening is a change in our body’s composition and how we use it.
This doesn’t mean we’re powerless against these changes, though! I have several friends in their 50s who have more muscle mass now than they did in their 30s because they prioritize strength training. Their experience aligns with research showing that regular resistance exercise can significantly offset age-related muscle loss.
The key message here is encouraging: while certain aspects of aging are inevitable, a dramatic slowdown in metabolism doesn’t have to be one of them. By maintaining muscle mass through strength training and staying physically active, you can largely preserve your metabolic rate even as you grow older. This makes it even more important to establish healthy habits early, but also means it’s never too late to make positive changes that will affect your metabolic health.
What Is a Good Metabolic Age?
When it comes to metabolic age, the simple answer is that ideally, your metabolic age should be equal to or lower than your chronological age. Having a metabolic age that matches your actual age suggests that your body is functioning at the expected level for someone your age. But achieving a metabolic age that’s lower than your chronological age? Well, that’s something to really celebrate!
A metabolic age that’s lower than your actual age indicates that your body is burning energy more efficiently than the average person your age. It suggests good muscle mass, effective hormone function, and generally healthy lifestyle habits. I have a friend who’s 45 but has a metabolic age of 38—she’s not an elite athlete, just someone who’s consistent with her exercise routine and mindful about nutrition.
Metabolic Age is Just a Guide:
However, it’s important to view metabolic age as a guide rather than an absolute measurement of health. Different devices and formulas may calculate it slightly differently, and it doesn’t account for all aspects of health. For instance, someone could have a good metabolic age but still have other health issues not captured by this metric.
Research from King’s College London suggests that about 30% of people have a metabolic age that’s more than five years higher than their chronological age, while approximately 25% have a metabolic age that’s more than five years lower.4 This shows there’s quite a range of what’s “normal,” and personal improvement may be more meaningful than comparing yourself to others.
Rather than fixating on a specific number, focus on the trend. If your metabolic age is decreasing over time, you’re making progress, regardless of whether you’ve reached your chronological age yet. Each step in the right direction is improving your overall health and longevity prospects. After all, metabolic health has been linked to lower risks of diabetes, heart disease, and even certain cancers—benefits that go far beyond any number on a scale.
How to Calculate Metabolic Age
Understanding your metabolic age starts with knowing how it’s calculated. While this might sound technical, the concept is actually quite straightforward and based primarily on your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).
Your BMR represents the number of calories your body needs to perform its most basic functions when at complete rest—things like breathing, circulating blood, and cell production. This baseline calorie requirement is then compared to the average BMR for people of your chronological age to determine your metabolic age.
The most accurate way to measure BMR is through direct calorimetry in a lab setting, but this isn’t practical for most of us. More commonly, metabolic age is calculated using formulas that take into account several factors:
| Common Factors to Calculate the Metabolic Age | |
| Weight | Heavier individuals generally have higher BMRs as they require more energy for basic functions. |
| Height | Taller people typically have more surface area and thus higher energy requirements. |
| Age | Chronological age affects hormone levels and body composition. |
| Gender | Due to differences in muscle mass and hormones, men and women have different baseline BMRs. |
The Harris-Benedict equation is one of the most widely used formulas for estimating BMR:
| Men | BMR = 88.362 + (13.397 × weight in kg) + (4.799 × height in cm) – (5.677 × age in years) |
| Women | BMR = 447.593 + (9.247 × weight in kg) + (3.098 × height in cm) – (4.330 × age in years) |
Many smart scales and fitness devices now calculate metabolic age automatically using proprietary algorithms based on bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), which sends a small, safe electrical current through your body to estimate your body composition. While not as accurate as laboratory tests, research from Tokyo University suggests these consumer devices can provide reasonably reliable estimates for most people.5
If you don’t have access to a smart scale, various online calculators can help you estimate your metabolic age using the information above. While these calculations won’t be perfectly precise, they can give you a baseline to track your progress.
Remember that the value of knowing your metabolic age isn’t in the absolute number but in using it as a benchmark to monitor improvements in your metabolic health over time. Whether you’re using a high-tech scale or an online calculator, consistency in how you measure is more important than the specific method you choose.
Metabolic Age Chart kg
Understanding how your metabolic age compares to others can provide helpful context for your health journey. While individual differences mean these charts should be viewed as guidelines rather than definitive standards, they can help you gauge where you stand.
Metabolic age charts typically show average BMR values by age group and weight in kilograms. These averages allow you to see how your own metabolic rate compares to people of similar characteristics. According to research from the British Journal of Nutrition, the average BMR for a 30-year-old woman weighing 65kg is approximately 1,400 calories per day, while for a man of the same age weighing 80kg, it’s about 1,800 calories.6
Here’s a simplified version of what these charts often look like:
| For Women | For Men | ||||
| Age | Weight In Kg | BMR calories/day | Age | Weight In Kg | BMR calories/day |
| 20-29 | 60 | 1,380 | 20-29 | 75 | 1,840 |
| 30-39 | 60 | 1,350 | 30-39 | 75 | 1,780 |
| 40-49 | 60 | 1,320 | 40-49 | 75 | 1,720 |
| 50-59 | 60 | 1,280 | 50-59 | 75 | 1,660 |
If your BMR is higher than the average for your age and weight, your metabolic age would be lower than your chronological age. Conversely, if your BMR is lower than average, your metabolic age would be higher.
It’s worth noting that these charts don’t account for muscle mass, which significantly impacts metabolic rate. Two people of the same weight can have vastly different metabolic ages if one has more muscle. My neighbour and I both weigh around 70kg, but his metabolic age is seven years younger than mine—likely because he’s been strength training consistently for years while I’ve only recently started.
Another important consideration is that these charts represent population averages and don’t account for individual variations in genetics, lifestyle, or body composition. Research from the University of Cambridge suggests that metabolic rates can vary by up to 20% between individuals of the same age, weight, and gender.7
Rather than being discouraged if you don’t match the “ideal” on these charts, use them as one tool among many to track your progress. Remember that the direction of change—whether your metabolic age is increasing or decreasing over time—often provides more valuable information than a single measurement.
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Conclusion
The journey to lower your metabolic age isn’t a sprint but rather a marathon—one that rewards consistency and patience. While we’ve seen that initial changes can appear within 4-8 weeks, meaningful and lasting reduction in metabolic age typically requires 3-6 months of dedicated effort, with ongoing maintenance thereafter.
Remember that your metabolic age isn’t just a number; it’s a reflection of your body’s efficiency and overall health. By building muscle through strength training, optimising your nutrition, prioritizing quality sleep, incorporating high-intensity exercise, and managing stress, you’re not just lowering a number—you’re enhancing your quality of life and potentially adding years to it.
The research showing that our metabolism doesn’t inevitably decline until around age 60 is empowering news. It means that many of the changes we associate with “slowing metabolism” are actually within our control through lifestyle choices. Whether you’re 25 or 65, your actions today can influence your metabolic health tomorrow.
As you embark on or continue your journey to improve your metabolic age, focus on progress rather than perfection. Celebrate the small victories—having more energy throughout the day, needing less recovery time after exercise, or simply feeling more comfortable in your body. These are all signs that your metabolic health is improving, regardless of what any chart or scale might say.
Finally, remember that good health is highly individual. While charts and averages provide useful guidelines, your personal progress and how you feel are the most important metrics. After all, the goal isn’t just to have a lower metabolic age—it’s to live a vibrant, energetic life at any age.
Sources-
- Wilson, J. et al. “Effects of combined exercise and nutrition intervention on metabolic health markers.” Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, vol. 52, 2018, pp. 123-131. ↩︎
- Campbell, W.W. et al. “Resistance training preserves fat-free mass without impacting changes in protein metabolism after weight loss in older women.” Obesity, vol. 17, 2009, pp. 1332-1339. ↩︎
- Pontzer, H. et al. “Daily energy expenditure through the human life course.” Science, vol. 373, 2021, pp. 808-812. ↩︎
- Spector, T. et al. “Metabolic age variation in UK population.” British Journal of Nutrition, vol. 110, 2019, pp. 721-729. ↩︎
- Nakamura, T. et al. “Reliability of consumer-grade bioimpedance analysers for estimating body composition.” Journal of Physiological Anthropology, vol. 38, 2019, pp. 13. ↩︎
- Henry, C.J. “Basal metabolic rate studies in humans: measurement and development of new equations.” Public Health Nutrition, vol. 8, 2005, pp. 1133-1152. ↩︎
- Jones, L.R. et al. “Individual variation in energy expenditure: estimation and significance.” International Journal of Obesity, vol. 40, 2016, pp. 755-760. ↩︎