493: She Beat Leukemia By Building Muscle: The Truth About Building Muscle After 50 with Helen Fritsch

What happens when a 56-year-old woman who's never lifted weights walks into a gym and decides to compete in bodybuilding, and then were diagnosed with leukemia at 57?

Most people would scale back, play it safe, maybe give up entirely. But Helen Fritsch did the opposite – she doubled down on building muscle. Helen never entered a weight room until her late 50s - she thought it was "for boys only." As a flight attendant and certified wine specialist, she spent decades doing cardio and avoiding heavy weights. At 56, she gave herself one month to prep for her first competition (most people take 12-16 weeks!) Two weeks in, her body transformation was so dramatic she couldn't believe it. She placed third. By 60, she'd won her pro card. Then at 57, a routine blood test revealed she had leukemia. 

Instead of watching and waiting as her oncologist suggested, Helen discovered research showing cancer patients with more muscle mass have significantly better survival rates. She dove into hormone optimization (learning most women get inadequate doses), peptide therapy, and serious weight training. Today at 68, she's stronger than she was at 30 and convinced that building muscle saved her life. This isn't just another fitness story - it's proof that everything you've been told about aging, muscle building after menopause, and "taking it easy" after 50 is wrong.

 

Learn More About Helen Fritsch  

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/helenfritsch_ifbbpro 

Website ➜  https://www.ageisirrelevant.com/

 

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