Training can improve muscle strength and endurance in 78- to 84-yr-old men

Abstract

Nine men, 78-84 yr of age, participated in a dynamometer training program 2-3 times/wk, totaling 25 sessions, using voluntary maximal isometric, concentric, and eccentric right knee-extension actions (30 and 180 degrees/s). Measurements of muscle strength with a Kin-Com dynamometer and simultaneous electromyograms (EMG) were performed of both sides before and after the training period. Muscle biopsies were taken from the right vastus lateralis muscle. The total quadriceps cross-sectional area was measured with computerized tomography. Training led to an increase in maximal torque for concentric (10% at 30 degrees/s) and eccentric (13-19%) actions in the trained leg. The EMG activity increased at maximal eccentric activities. The total cross-sectional quadriceps area of the trained leg increased by 3%, but no changes were recorded in muscle fiber areas in these subjects, who already had large mean fiber areas (5.15 microns 2 x 10(3)). The fatigue index measured from 50 consecutive concentric contractions at 180 degrees/s decreased and the citrate synthase activity increased in all but one subject. The results demonstrate that increased neural activation accompanies an increase in muscle strength at least during eccentric action in already rather active elderly men and that muscle endurance may also be improved with training.

Resistance training induces qualitative changes in muscle morphology, muscle architecture, and muscle function in elderly postoperative patients

“…This is in agreement with previous studies in young (1) and old individuals (27), although not consistently shown (17,31). Furthermore, the pronounced increase in type II fiber CSA seen with RT compensated for the preoperative difference in type I and II fiber CSA (II Ͻ I), which disappeared following RT.…”

Effects of a Physical Activity Intervention Program on Nutritional Status and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Thai Older Adults: Pilot Study

“…Muscular strength improvement was evidenced in upper and lower body strength. Previous studies have showed similar results combining different modes of exercise, with great results increasing both upper-and lower-limb muscular strength (21,22). In addition, our data is consistent with results of another study that showed benefits of square-stepping exercise with respect to improve muscular strength of lower extremely in the older adults (10)(11)(12).…”

Blunted hypertrophic response in old mouse muscle is associated with a lower satellite cell density and is not alleviated by resveratrol

“…While resistance exercise is a widely used strategy to counteract the age-related loss in muscle mass and strength (Brown et al, 1990;Frontera et al, 1988;Leenders et al, 2013), the hypertrophic response to resistance training or overload may be blunted in old humans (Grimby et al, 1992;Kosek et al, 2006;Martel et al, 2006;Raue et al, 2009;Slivka et al, 2008) and rodents (Alway et al, 2002b;Blough and Linderman, 2000;Degens and Alway, 2003). It has been postulated that the age-related blunted hypertrophy is largely due to a decrease in the number of functional myofibers (Degens, 2012), but a reduced ability of old myofibers to hypertrophy may also contribute.…”