Study confirms mental health benefits of weight training for older adults

Weight training helps older adults reduce body fat and increase strength and muscle mass, contributing to functional autonomy and avoidance of falls and injuries. Additionally, recent studies have shown that it can also be beneficial for the mental health of older adults, especially those who suffer from anxiety and depression.

These benefits were confirmed by a study reported in the journal psychiatric research. The study included a systematic review and meta-analysis of his more than 200 papers on the subject. The analysis was conducted by Paolo Cunha, a FAPESP postdoctoral researcher at the Albert Einstein Institute for Jewish and Brazilian Educational Research (IIEPAE) in São Paulo, Brazil.

“Resistance training has been shown to be one of the most effective non-pharmacological strategies for healthy aging. It has been linked to countless health benefits, including improved mental health. promote benefits,” Cunha said.

The research results are very promising, he continued. In addition to improving symptoms of anxiety and depression in the general population, weight training appears to have a greater effect on people with a confirmed diagnosis of an anxiety or depressive disorder.

“Epidemiological studies show that the naturally occurring decline in muscle strength and muscle mass that occurs with aging can affect mental health, given the existence of various physiological mechanisms that lead to functional and structural changes and are controlled by physical factors. “It shows that it may be associated with an increase in problems in the brain,” Cunha said.

Another important mental health benefit, he added, is that weight training in groups increases social interaction between those involved.

Recommended exercises

The study also pointed to the best ways to structure training to improve mental health. “The way you train seems to have an impact on the results achieved. Based on the information available so far, older people should ideally do weight training three times a week, and each exercise should be done three times a week. Sets, sessions are not too long, 6 exercises is enough. “It seems to be enough. You do less, but if you do it well, you get better results with shorter sets. Mental Health “This is valuable information as there is a lack of guidelines with specific recommendations for parameter-focused resistance training,” Cunha said.

Although there are many ways to prescribe resistance training programs aimed at improving health, autonomy, and quality of life in older adults, most of them are designed to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, regardless of the intensity or amount of exercise. directly or indirectly. said Edilson Cirino, last author of the paper and principal investigator of the study. He is a professor at the State University of Londrina (UEL) and coordinates the Active His Aging Longitudinal Study, a project he initiated in 2012 to analyze the effects of resistance training on health-related parameters in older women. doing.

Another point observed by the researchers is that the use of training machines and free weights appears to be more beneficial for mental health than exercise that involves, for example, rubber bands or calisthenics (which uses body weight). That is.

Although there are no statistics comparing the two types of training, analyzes have shown that resistance training using weights and other equipment is more effective in improving mental health in older people. I did. This is mainly because you can adjust the intensity and volume of your exercises. More precisely controlled. ”

Paolo Cunha, Postdoctoral Researcher, Albert Einstein Institute for Jewish and Brazilian Educational Research (IIEPAE), São Paulo, Brazil

In their paper, researchers note that despite the clear mental health benefits of weight training, important gaps remain that need to be filled by further research. “Generally speaking, most studies involve small numbers of volunteers, which hinders our understanding of how the phenomenon occurs and the main mechanisms that explain it. This field of research has expanded in recent years. We are expanding and there is plenty of room for further progress,” Cunha said. .

Professor Cunha is currently working with the Clinical Interventions and Cardiovascular Disease Research Group (GEPICARDIO) of the Albert Einstein Jewish Brazilian Hospital (HIAE) to investigate the effects of prolonged sitting on vascular and cognitive functions in older adults. We are conducting a project to analyze the