What the research says about very elderly, in plain English, with every original paper linked.
2 studies on this topic
2020
Sports Medicine
Studied: 22 studies, adults ≥75 (subgroup analysis for 80+)
Across 22 trials in adults 75 and older, resistance training produced meaningful strength and muscle-size gains — including among the 'oldest-old' (80+) — with very few adverse events reported.
1994
New England Journal of Medicine
Studied: 100 nursing home residents, mean age 87
Nursing home residents averaging 87 years old did ten weeks of progressive resistance training. Muscle strength, gait speed and stair-climbing power all improved; a nutritional supplement without exercise did not produce those gains on its own.
These summaries are general education, not medical advice. Individual results vary, and research on groups does not replace advice about your body from your doctor.
