The influence of resistance training on inflammatory markers, body composition and functional capacity in healthy older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to investigate the effect of resistance training on inflammatory biomarkers, body composition, and functional capacity in healthy adults aged 60 years and over, and to examine the moderating effect of exercise variables on inflammatory markers.
Results Summary
Resistance training significantly reduced CRP levels and improved leg extension strength and 6-MWT performance, but did not significantly affect TNF-α or IL-6 levels.
Population
Healthy adults aged 60 years and over.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Resistance training (RT) | decrease | CRP levels | healthy adults aged 60 years and over | MD:0.74 | significantly decreased | #1 |
Resistance training (RT) | no change | TNF-α | healthy adults aged 60 years and over | MD: 0.1 | did not show significant changes | #2 |
Resistance training (RT) | no change | IL-6 | healthy adults aged 60 years and over | MD:0.27 | did not show significant changes | #3 |
Resistance training (RT) | increase | leg extension strength | healthy adults aged 60 years and over | - | enhanced | #4 |
Resistance training (RT) | increase | 6-MWT performance | healthy adults aged 60 years and over | - | enhanced | #5 |
BACKGROUND: Older adults experience chronic inflammation, which is associated with health conditions such as sarcopenia, and resulting in reduced functional capacity. Resistance training (RT) is a beneficial intervention for improving health in the elderly. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of RT on inflammatory biomarkers, body composition, and functional capacity in healthy adults aged 60 years and over. Additionally, this study conducted a meta-regression to investigate the moderating effect of exercise variables on inflammatory markers. METHOD: Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched systematically until December 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the impact of RT on C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), body weight, BMI, fat percentage, fat mass, lean mass, leg extension strength and six-minute walk test (6-MWT) were included. Effect size was estimated by using the mean difference (MD) with 95 % confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: Nineteen RTCs involving 728 participants were included. The results revealed that CRP levels significantly decreased following RT programs (MD:0.74, p= 0.008), while TNF-α (MD: 0.1, p= 0.95) and IL-6 (MD:0.27, p= 0.12) did not show significant changes. Additionally, RT enhanced leg extension strength and 6-MWT performance. CONCLUSION: RT effectively reduces CRP concentrations and enhances functional capacity in healthy older adults. However, it does not have a significant impact on TNF-α and IL-6 levels. Future researches are needed to make a clear conclusion and understand the mechanisms underlying the effects of RT in healthy older adults. REGISTRATION: The original protocol was registered (CRD42023487573) in PROSPERO database.