DEXA Lean Mass (ALMI)
Appendicular lean mass index (ALMI): limb lean mass in kg divided by height in meters squared, from a DEXA body-composition scan. Optimal range: ALMI at or above the 75th percentile for age, sex, and ethnicity.
What it measures
Appendicular lean mass index (ALMI): limb lean mass in kg divided by height in meters squared, from a DEXA body-composition scan. A purer measure of muscle mass than total weight or BMI.
Why it matters
Muscle mass is an integrator of the work of exercise, like HbA1c is for glucose. Low muscle mass strongly predicts mortality and frailty; high mass provides a reserve against age-related decline.
Optimal ranges
Sourced targets, not just lab reference ranges. Lab ranges describe the population; these describe where the evidence says you want to be.
Sourcing note
This target rests on credible but thin sourcing, such as expert-opinion statements or a single review. Stronger than a heuristic, weaker than a guideline. We upgrade it as better sources land.
| Range | Context |
|---|---|
| ALMI at or above the 75th percentile for age, sex, and ethnicity | Peter Attia's stated clinical target for his patients, based on associative data linking higher muscle mass percentiles to markedly better survival. |
How to improve it
- 1
Progressive resistance training 2 to 4 times per week for life
- 2
Protein at roughly 1.6 g/kg of body weight daily
- 3
Creatine monohydrate supplementation
- 4
Avoid prolonged calorie deficits that strip muscle
Connected to
Goals
Ingredients
Longevity Lab Report
Move your DEXA Lean Mass (ALMI), know the evidence.
New research on dexa lean mass (almi) and what moves it, in one email a week. Free.
Educational information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before acting on any biomarker result.