‘Thigh muscle mass inversely correlates’: Health expert says you should never skip leg day. Then he reveals the real reason why

Leg day is a must for many of us at the gym, but it might be more important than we think. At least, that's according to author and health expert Steven Kotler. Kotler was discussing health with Vishen Lakhiani on his podcast, The Mindvalley Show, when he made the revelation.

"The stronger your thighs are, the stronger your quads are, the longer you live," he said. "Crazy fact, the single most important thing you can do, the thing [that is the] greatest correlate for preserving brain health and body health—leg strength. Thigh muscle mass inversely correlates with mortality. How crazy is that?"

Incredulous, Lakhiani asks, "Hang on. Leg strength, legs correlates with mortality?"

"No, no," Kotler replies. "Inversely correlates." This segment was reposted as an Instagram reel by the account @healthfitnessandgoals in January and has since amassed a huge 8 million views.

Lakhiani didn't immediately respond to the Daily Dot's request for comment via email. Kotler didn't immediately respond to our request via contact form, and @healthfitnessandgoals didn't immediately respond to our request via Instagram direct message.

What did commenters say?

Commenters on the reel were, for the most part, a little skeptical of the declaration. "This doesn’t sound true but I choose to believe," one wrote. "They just be saying anything on these podcasts nowadays," another added. While a third joked, "Source: trust me bro."

A fourth claimed, "leg strength is a result of exercise in general, whether that be cardio or direct leg training. So he's technically not wrong, but a better more accurate claim would be, 'The better your cardiovascular health, the longer you live.'"

Is this true?

While this claim might seem a little dubious, there are some studies linking leg strength to overall health.

The Health, Aging and Body Composition Study, which was conducted between 1997 and 2014, recruited over 3,000 people aged 70-79. To determine their leg strength, all participants were screened on how comfortably they could walk up ten stairs/a quarter mile. These participants were then checked up on once a year to see how their health changed. Ultimately, the study found that those participants who had higher leg strength had a lower risk of early death and disability,

Another study found that leg strength and fat mass were the best predictors of physical function in adults over 55, while a third study found that strong legs were a predictor of healthier brains in old age. Moreover, the European Society of Cardiology found that heart attack patients were less likely to develop heart failure if they had stronger legs.

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