Weight training helps older adults reduce body fat and increase both muscle strength and mass, improving functional autonomy (the ability to independently perform the various tasks necessary for daily living) and reducing falls and injuries. It has been shown to contribute to avoidance. A recent study published in Psychiatry Research suggests that weight training can also benefit the mental health of older adults.
The study includes a systematic review and meta-analysis of over 200 studies, and the analysis received a fellowship from FAPESP of the Albert Einstein Institute for Jewish-Brazilian Educational Research (IIEPAE) in São Paulo It was conducted by postdoctoral researcher Paolo Cunha. , Brazil. The results of this study show that in addition to improving symptoms of depression and anxiety in the general population, weight training appears to have a greater effect on people diagnosed with depression and anxiety disorders. Who said there was? Additionally, when done in a group setting, it contributes to social interaction, another important mental health benefit.
“Epidemiological studies have shown that the naturally occurring decline in strength and muscle mass that occurs with aging may affect mental health, given the existence of various physiological mechanisms that lead to functional and structural changes and are controlled by physical factors. “This shows that it may be associated with increased problems in the brain,” Cunha said.
“The way you train seems to influence the results achieved. Based on the information available so far, older people should ideally do weight training three times a week, doing three sets of each exercise, The sessions are not too long, 6 exercises seem to be enough, but do it well. Shorter sets produce better results. “This is valuable information as there is a lack of guidelines with specific training recommendations,” Cunha said.
At the end of the book, resistance training programs, regardless of intensity or amount of exercise, improved health, autonomy, and quality of life in older adults, and directly or indirectly led to improved symptoms of anxiety and depression. Edilson Sirino, author of Principal investigator of the paper and 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.
Although the study highlights some of the best ways to prescribe strength training programs, the researchers concluded that the use of training machines and free weights is superior to exercises using rubber bands and calisthenics (which use force). They noted that exercise appears to be more beneficial for mental health than exercise. (depending on weight).
“Although there are no statistics comparing the two types of training, our analysis shows that resistance training using weights and other equipment is more effective at improving mental health in older adults. This is mainly because the intensity and volume of the exercises are more effective and can be controlled more precisely,” Cunha explained.
“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.” The field of research has expanded in recent years and there is plenty of room for further progress,” Professor Cunha said.
