Resistance training strengthened breathing muscles in older adults
In a randomized trial of 60 adults aged 60–75, 12 weeks of supervised resistance training improved breathing muscle strength and blood markers of inflammation.
Limit: Difficult participant blinding could bias effort-dependent respiratory pressure measurements
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
Researchers randomly assigned 60 community-dwelling older adults aged 60–75 to resistance training or a control group, with 30 in each, in a randomized controlled trial. The training group attended three supervised sessions a week for 12 weeks. Researchers tested participants before and after the program.
The training group increased the strength of muscles used to breathe in and out. Those participants also improved handgrip strength and performance on a one-minute test of repeatedly standing from a chair. Their blood oxygen levels fell less during exercise. Training reduced blood levels of interleukin-6, a protein involved in inflammation, and increased interleukin-10, an anti-inflammatory protein. Levels of Klotho, a protein studied in relation to aging, also increased. Standard blood cell measures did not change significantly, while changes in body measurements were modest.
Why it matters
Age-related declines in respiratory muscle strength raise questions about preserving respiratory health and independence. The authors suggested that resistance training may promote biological processes associated with healthy aging.
Caveats
This 12-week trial assessed functional tests and blood markers, not disease prevention or lifespan. The abstract did not report harms, and the findings concern community-dwelling adults aged 60–75.
From the paper
- Result
The homogeneity-of-regression-slopes assumption was satisfied (p = 0.828); however, the adjusted group effect did not reach statistical significance [F(1,51) = 3.21, p = 0.079, ηp = 0.059], with an adjusted between-group difference of 4.71 repetitions (95% CI −0.57 to 9.99).
Results, 3.3. Effects of Resistance Training on Respiratory Muscles and Functional Capacity
- Limitation
This consideration is particularly relevant because adaptations to resistance training in older adults may vary according to baseline functional status, training characteristics, and individual responsiveness.
Quoted word for word from the full text on mdpi.com.
The paper
Universidade Evangelica de Goiás; University Medical Center Freiburg
Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, Oct 19, 2026, Open access