But Great Aunt Edna wants to get ripped!

A study just out in the Journal of Applied Physiology shows that women in their eighties might not be able to increase muscle mass by lifting weights.

For some reason, old folks in their seventies did okay at building muscle, but eighty appears to be the cut-off date, for some reason. 

Muscle mass is important as you age because it wards off injury and disability, so what we've learned here is that you gotta start anaerobic activity when you're younger to keep things from getting brittle when you're an oldie. But still, I find the whole thing kind of funny because I've known a number of octogenarians and not a single one has ever had a sudden hankerin' for pumpin' iron. I don't think we need to be too bummed.

Also, the study took place at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana and contained half-a-dozen subjects. In other words, it was the heartwarming, bittersweet tale of six old ladies from the Midwest who just wanted to lift weights and get results. Kind of like Pumping Iron meets Cocoon. 

Someone get Hollywood on the phone!