Effects of strength training on health determinants in men over 65 years: a systematic review

Introduction: Aging is associated with a reduction in physical activity levels, leading to a decrease in strength and muscle mass, and affecting the minimum functional capacity to maintain an independent life. The literature agrees that strength training is one of the most important strategies to curb the effects of age, since it has been shown to be effective in increasing muscle mass and strength, promoting improvements in the functional capacity of the elderly. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the effects of strength training on the conditioning factors of health and quality of life (e.g., body composition, muscle strength and functional capacity) in male adults over 65 years of age. Material and method: A data search were conducted in PubMed, SPORTdiscus and Web Of Science (WOS) databases according to the recommendations and criteria established in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement guidelines. For this, the search terms related to the target population (male older adults) and the type of training applied (strength training) were used. Results: After applying the search strategies, a total of 2196 articles were obtained. After reading the title and abstract, 1687 articles were eliminated. After reading the full text, 151 articles were eliminated and 9 were selected, which met the inclusion criteria and were therefore included in this review. Conclusions: The results suggest the importance of focus the strength training programs to the individual demands of each older adult man, in order to optimize its effects, and ultimately, improve their quality of life.