Strength training review finds mixed results across muscle, bone and walking measures
Trials in older adults with osteosarcopenia reported improvements in muscle measures, while several other outcomes showed no statistically significant difference.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review reported statistically significant increases in muscle mass index, maximum handgrip strength and protein intake with strength training. Bone mineral density, body fat percentage, walking speed and calcium intake showed no significant overall differences. Changes in muscle measures therefore did not consistently extend to the other outcomes assessed.
The abstract does not give pooled effect sizes, confidence intervals, trial durations or overall control conditions. That limits judgment of the size, precision and practical importance of the reported changes.
Understanding the outcomes
The researchers asked whether different strength training approaches affected body composition, physical performance and nutrient intake. Reporting a statistically significant change alone does not show how large or noticeable that change was.
A separate subgroup result
Subgroup analyses favored elastic bands over resistance training for body fat percentage, despite the nonsignificant overall result. Bone mineral density still showed no significant subgroup difference, leaving a mixed picture across training approaches.
The original publication
Effects of Strength Training on Body Composition, Physical Performance, and Protein or Calcium Intake in Older People with Osteosarcopenia: A Meta-Analysis.
Hernandez-Martinez J, Branco BHM, Vasquez-Carrasco E et al.
Nutrients · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40944241
- Record checked
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