Different training responses in elderly men and women following a prolonged muscle resistance training intervention

Abstract

Resistance training is an effective strategy to counteract the age‐related loss of muscle mass and strength in elderly, but whether the benefits of training differ between sexes is unclear. A total of 297 elderly men and women were randomized to 1 year of heavy resistance training (HRT) or control (CON). Changes in muscle function and body composition were compared between sexes and groups. Improvements in muscle strength, body fat, muscle mass and size were observed, but the absolute improvements in muscle strength (23 Nm ± 2.3 vs 11 Nm ± 2.2, P < .01) and visceral fat content (−215 g ± 50 vs −60 g ± 21, P < .01) were greater in men. Also, the relative decrease in body fat % (−6.8% ± 1.1 vs −2.7% ± 0.7, P < .05) and fat mass (−7.9% ± 1.4 vs −2.7% ± 1.0, P < .05) was more pronounced in men. Heavy resistance training improved more than CON in most muscular and body composition parameters with greater increase in muscle strength and decrease in body fat in men. Consequently, resistance training is recommendable to counteract age‐related losses of muscle mass and strength and to reduce body fat in elderly, however, with a small advantage for men in parameters that predict metabolic risk factors.

Effects of Resistance Exercise on Older Individuals with Sarcopenia: Sex Differences in Humans

“…In a 2016 study of sex differences in responses to RE training in 23 older persons aged 65 years, isometric knee extensor strength increased by 41.7% in men and 15.8% in women after RE [14]. A study, published in 2021 by Anne et al [45], of 275 older people (aged 62-70 years) investigated sex differences in responses to gradual RE three times a week for 9 weeks showed an increase in maximal isometric knee extensor strength of 26 Nm in men and 10 Nm in women. A study published in 2000-year investigating the effect of RE on muscle quality according to sex and age in 22 older people (aged 65-75 years) showed that knee extensor strength (1RM) improved by 19.9 kg in men and 12.2 kg in women after RE investigating the effect of RE on muscle quality according to sex and age in 22 older people (aged 65-75 years) showed that knee extensor strength (1RM) improved by 19.9 kg in men and 12.2 kg in women after RE [46].…”

“…In several studies examining the effect of RE according to sex differences in older individuals, men showed higher muscle strength improvement than did women [14,[43][44][45][46]. In a s tudy published in 2021-year examined sex differences in response to RE over a 40-week period in 160 older adults (aged 55-74 years).…”

“…In several studies that investigated the effect of RE according to sex differences in older individuals, men showed a greater increase in muscle mass than women [13,14,43,45,46,48]. In 2021, a study of 160 people aged 55-74 years surveyed changes in muscle mass in response to RE training.…”

“…weeks. In addition, lean body mass increased by 715 g in men and 690 g in women [45]. In 2000, a study of the effect of RE on muscle mass in 22 older persons aged 65-75 years showed that quadriceps muscle cross-sectional area increased by 203.5 cm 3 in men and 135 cm 3 in women [46].…”

“…The main cause of deterioration in physical function due to aging is sarcopenia, characterized by reduced muscle strength and mass, which can be improved by RE [14,45,58,59], although individual factors, such as sex, age, and race, modulate the effects of RE [29,66]. Studies have examined sex differences in the effect of RE on physical function in older individuals; however, the differences in the effects of RE on physical function according to sex remain unclear because very few studies have directly compared the effects in men and women [38,48,67].…”