Research

Hormonal

Resistance training (RT) and endurance training (ET) modulate distinct biochemical pathways to counteract sarcopenia, with RT primarily promoting net muscle protein anabolism and ET improving mitochondrial biogenesis and aerobic capacity.

To combat age-related muscle loss, older adults should engage in a balanced program of both resistance and endurance exercises. For resistance training, aim for at least two days per week, performing 8-12 repetitions of exercises targeting major muscle groups. Use a moderate to vigorous intensity (RPE 5-8). If joint stress is a concern, consider aquatic exercise or stationary cycling. Consistency is key, as both types of exercise have been shown to improve muscle strength, mitochondrial function, and overall muscle health.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Sarcopenia is the progressive loss of muscle mass and strength/function during aging... Physical exercise is to date one of the few strategies able to improve muscle health in old age through multiple metabolic and transcriptional adaptations... RT is the exercise strategy usually recommended to counteract age-related muscle wasting... aerobic exercise training is also able to attenuate the rate of sarcopenia development.
Mohammad Mosaferi Ziaaldini et al. · Frontiers in Medicine · 2017

Why this rating

This is a narrative review summarizing multiple studies (animal and human), not a single primary clinical trial, so evidence quality is moderate.

Source

Biochemical Pathways of Sarcopenia and Their Modulation by Physical Exercise: A Narrative Review

Mohammad Mosaferi Ziaaldini et al. · Frontiers in Medicine · 2017

DOI 10.3389/fmed.2017.00167

narrative_reviewCited 166×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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