Long-Term Effects of HEAVY Strength Training in Older Adults
Can it maintain muscle-strength and function over 4 years?
This study aimed to assess whether one year of supervised heavy resistance training could lead to sustained improvements in muscle strength and function over four years.
PMID: 38911477
Key Points
The researchers focused on:
Leg extensor power
Isometric leg strength
Body composition changes
Methods
The study was a randomised controlled trial involving older adults (n=451) at retirement age. They were randomly assigned to one of three groups for one year:
Heavy Resistance Training (HRT): Participants engaged in a supervised full-body, machine-based program three times a week. They performed 3 sets of 6-12 reps for each exercise, focusing on heavy loads (70%-85% of one-repetition maximum (1RM).
Moderate-Intensity Training (MIT): Participants performed circuit training with body weight and resistance bands, focusing on lighter loads (50%-60% of 1 RM).
Control Group (CON): Participants were encouraged to maintain their usual physical activity without structured exercise.
Follow-up assessments were conducted at baseline, after one year, and then at two and four years post-intervention, focusing on muscle strength and body composition.
Results
At the four-year follow-up, 369 participants completed the assessments. Key findings included:
Isometric Leg Strength: Participants in the HRT group maintained their isometric leg strength from baseline to the four-year mark, showing no significant decline. In contrast, both the MIT and CON groups experienced declines in strength.
Group × Time Interaction: A significant interaction effect indicated that the HRT group preserved muscle function better than the other groups over time.
Body Composition: HRT participants showed more favourable changes in lean body mass and fat distribution compared to the control group.
Noteworthy:
'82 older adults dropped out primarily due to lack of motivation or severe illness. These individuals had higher body weight, BMI and waist circumference at baseline compared with participants who were still part of the study at year 4. However, there was no difference in the response to the intervention in all outcomes at year 1 assessments between participants and individuals subsequently lost to follow- up.''
