Elderly people lifting weights ‘live longer’
Elderly people who lift weights ‘live longer’, study finds, as researchers urge doctors to advise retirees to do strength training
- Scientists monitored the muscle strength of 4,000 people between the ages of 40 and 85
- Each participant was judged on how often they could lift weights
- The study, by Brazilian experts, was presented at a cardiology conference
Elderly people who lift weights in the gym will live longer if one believes new scientific research.
But they will be less likely to be sent to an early grave if they lift weights quickly and in moderation – and they should avoid heavy weights.
Brazilian scientists followed the muscle strength of 4,000 people between the ages of 40 and 85 in six years to draw the conclusion.
Each participant was judged on how often they could lift weights that gradually got heavier in the ‘upright row’ position within a given time frame.
Elderly people who lift weights in the gym will live longer if one believes new scientific research. But they will only be less likely to be sent to an early grave if they lift weights quickly and in moderation – and they should avoid heavy ones
The upright riding position involves the contestant holding a weight at hip height and lifting it up to their shoulders with the elbows outward.
The experts at the Exercise Medicine Clinic in Rio de Janeiro said that it is a common exercise used in everyday life, such as picking up shopping bags.
Researchers found that at a follow-up after six and a half years, 247 men – or 10 percent – and 75 women – or six percent – died.
Their results, presented at a cardiology conference, showed that people with the ability to lift weights quickly lived longer.
But gym users who lifted the heaviest weights – defined as the most muscle strength – were up to 13 times more likely to die.
Study author Professor Claudio Gil Araújo said, “Doctors should consider measuring muscle strength and advising more strength training.”
Muscles gradually weaken as people age and it often contributes to death in people over 40.
The average age of the participants was 59. Five percent were over 80 and just over two-thirds were male.
Professor Araújo said, “Getting up from a chair and kicking a ball in old age depends more on muscle strength than muscle strength.
“We now show that power is strongly related to all-cause mortality.
“But the good news is that for the best survival, you only need to be above the median for your gender, with no further benefit to become even more powerful.”
The research team is currently investigating the link between muscle strength and specific causes of death, including heart disease and cancer.
But the new study is the first time muscle strength has been assessed. Previous research focused only on muscle strength, mainly with the hand grip exercise.
The researchers said that the best way to increase muscle strength is to choose multiple upper and lower body exercises.
Choose a weight that isn’t too easy or difficult to lift, she added, saying they would do up to three sets of six to eight reps to move the weight as quickly as possible.
The findings were presented today at EuroPrevent 2019, a conference of the European Society of Cardiology, in Lisbon, Portugal.
IS BALLROOM DANCE GOOD FOR THE ELDERLY?
The elderly are advised to include tango and ballroom dancing to reduce the risk of falls and injuries.
In June 2017, dance scientist Dr. Emma Redding, from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, which dance classes can help prevent falls, which is the single biggest cause of urgent hospitalizations for retirees in Britain, killing nearly 5,000 people annually.
The slower, structured dance styles of tango and ballroom provide ankle and core strength for older people, allowing them to maintain their balance.
Older people are more at risk of falls due to muscle deterioration and age-related loss of balance, as well as vision problems and the side effects of medications.
The elderly are advised to include tango and ballroom dancing to reduce the risk of falls and injuries
Dr. Redding also said that dance lessons can help widowed people who are lonely, while the traditional music they waltz can bring back precious memories for people with dementia.
Before speaking at the Cheltenham Science Festival, she said, “Dancing, you take physical risks that you wouldn’t take alone. You move your weight from side to side, front to back, like you wouldn’t when walking.
“This helps with the stability of the ankle and core and gives people much more confidence when moving in everyday life.
“Attitude alignment is very important to prevent falls in the elderly and can help keep them safe.”
Dancing burns six calories per minute in the average person, compared to 10 calories per minute for football.
This is especially good for older people, who typically don’t meet their guideline 150 minutes of moderate exercise and two or more days of strength training per week.
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