Resistance exercise reduces symptoms of sarcopenia – age-related muscle loss – in older women, a new study has found. Women who engaged in resistance training saw improvements in muscle size, strength, and function.

Researchers studied the effects of resistance training in 38 women who were 70 years of age or older. About half of the women engaged in a supervised resistance training program for six months, while the other half did not. The researchers assessed the women’s body composition, strength, and capacity to perform basic fitness tests.

They found that half of the women who engaged in the resistance training experienced remission of their sarcopenia, demonstrated by increases in muscular mass, decreases in fat mass, and enhanced muscular strength and performance in their arms and legs. The women who trained also performed better on tests of leg function and strength as well as balance.

Sarcopenia is an age-related condition characterized by a progressive loss of muscle mass and associated strength. Because the condition begins as early as one’s 30s, a person in their 70s may have lost as much as half of their muscle mass.

This study demonstrates that resistance training rebuilds muscle mass in older women. Having sufficient muscle mass markedly reduces a person’s risk of dying prematurely, and actively challenging those muscles, through regular physical activity and exercise, may extend a person’s life by several years. Learn more in this clip featuring Dr. Stuart Phillips.

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