Resistance training reduces depressive and anxiety symptoms in older women: a pilot study

Physical Activity and Oxidative Stress in Aging

Biological aging, characterized by changes in metabolism and physicochemical properties of cells, has an impact on public health. Environment and lifestyle, including factors like diet and physical activity, seem to play a key role in healthy aging. Several studies have shown that regular physical activity can enhance antioxidant defense mechanisms, including the activity of enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. However, intense or prolonged exercise can also lead to an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production temporarily, resulting in oxidative stress. This phenomenon is referred to as "exercise-induced oxidative stress". The relationship between physical activity and oxidative stress in aging is complex and depends on various factors such as the type, intensity, duration, and frequency of exercise, as well as individual differences in antioxidant capacity and adaptation to exercise. In this review, we analyzed what is reported by several authors regarding the role of physical activity on oxidative stress in the aging process as well as the role of hormesis and physical exercise as tools for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia, an aging-related disease. Finally, we reported what has recently been studied in relation to the effect of physical activity and sport on aging in women.

Strength training has antidepressant effects in people with depression or depressive symptoms but no other severe diseases: A systematic review with meta-analysis

Depression and subthreshold depressive symptoms reduce quality of life and function and treatment does not work effectively in one-third of patients. Exercise can reduce depressive symptoms, but more information is required regarding strength training (ST). The objective of the present meta-analysis was to summarize and estimate the efficacy of ST in people with a diagnosis of depression or subthreshold depressive symptoms and no other severe disease. We also aimed to explore the variables that could influence the antidepressant effects. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, PsyINFO, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus were searched from inception to August 2022. The overall effect antidepressant of training was moderate (SMD = -0.51, 95 % CI -0.72 to -0.30, p < 0.001). The meta-regression demonstrated preliminary evidence that the variables: duration of the intervention in weeks, weekly frequency of the intervention, number of sets, and number of repetitions can influence the antidepressant effects. However, these variables had a small role in the variation of the effect.

Can resistance training improve mental health outcomes in older adults? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Purpose This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to analyze the effects of resistance training (RT) and to compare the different RT prescriptions, sample characteristics, and mental health outcomes (depressive and anxiety symptoms) in older adults. Methods All studies that were available on 28th April 2023. For the analysis of intervention effects on depressive and anxiety symptoms, standardized mean differences and standard errors were calculated. Meta-analyses using random-effects models, employing robust variance meta-regression for multilevel data structures, with adjustments for small samples. Results For depressive symptoms, the mean effect was - 0.94 (95 %CI: -1.45 - -0.43, P< 0.01, I2= 93.4 %), and for anxiety symptoms, the mean effect was -1.33 (95 %CI: -2.10 - -0.56, P< 0.01, I2= 92.3 %). The mean effect was -0.51 (95 %CI: -0.67 - -0.35, P< 0.01, I2= 36.7 %) for older adults without mental disorders, and those with mental disorders the mean effect was ES= -2.15 (95 %CI: -3.01 - - 1.29, P< 0.01, I2= 91.5 %). Conclusion RT was able to improve mental health outcomes in individuals with and without mental disorders, and some RT characteristics influenced the effect of RT on mental health.

Sex-based differences in the association of leisure-time physical activity with the risk of depression: the Ansan and Ansung study of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES)

Objective

Depression is a serious mental disorder which is the leading cause of suicide. This study investigated the association between incident depression and 4-year leisure-time physical activity (PA) levels and/or resistance training (RT).

Methods

This community-based Korean cohort included 3,967 participants without depression at baseline. The average PA-time (the total duration of moderate-intensity leisure-time PA) up to 4 years prior to baseline enrollment was calculated to evaluate the cumulative levels of PA. Participants were divided into four groups based on their average PA-time: "Non-PA," " <150 min/week," "150-299 min/week," and "≥300 min/week." Furthermore, based on compliance to PA guidelines (≥150 min/week of PA-time) and participation in RT, the participants were categorized into four subgroups: "Low-PA," "Low-PA+RT," "High-PA," and "High-PA+RT." A multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to assess the 4-year incidence of depression according to leisure-time PA levels and/or regularity of RT.

Results

During the mean 3.72 ± 0.69 years of follow-up, 432 participants (10.89%) developed depression. In women, performing 150-299 min/week of moderate-intensity leisure-time PA was associated with a 38% risk reduction for incident depression (HR, 0.62; CI, 0.43-0.89; p < 0.05), whereas more than 300 min/week of that was related to a 44% risk reduction for incident depression (HR, 0.56; CI, 0.35-0.89; p < 0.05) as compared to that in the Non-PA group. However, in men, there was no significant relationship between the amount of leisure-time PA per week and the risk of incident depression. Moreover, in both sexes, RT had no significant effect on depression in either the Low-PA or High-PA group.

Conclusions

There was an inverse dose-response association between leisure-time PA levels and incident depression only in women, whereas adding RT to high levels of PA had no significant effect on depression in either sex.

Active Gains in brain Using Exercise During Aging (AGUEDA): protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Alzheimer's disease is currently the leading cause of dementia and one of the most expensive, lethal and severe diseases worldwide. Age-related decline in executive function is widespread and plays a key role in subsequent dementia risk. Physical exercise has been proposed as one of the leading non-pharmaceutical approaches to improve executive function and ameliorate cognitive decline. This single-site, two-arm, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial (RCT) will include 90 cognitively normal older adults, aged 65-80 years old. Participants will be randomized to a 24-week resistance exercise program (3 sessions/week, 60 min/session, n = 45), or a wait-list control group (n = 45) which will be asked to maintain their usual lifestyle. All study outcomes will be assessed at baseline and at 24-weeks after the exercise program, with a subset of selected outcomes assessed at 12-weeks. The primary outcome will be indicated by the change in an executive function composite score assessed with a comprehensive neuropsychological battery and the National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognition Battery. Secondary outcomes will include changes in brain structure and function and amyloid deposition, other cognitive outcomes, and changes in molecular biomarkers assessed in blood, saliva, and fecal samples, physical function, muscular strength, body composition, mental health, and psychosocial parameters. We expect that the resistance exercise program will have positive effects on executive function and related brain structure and function, and will help to understand the molecular, structural, functional, and psychosocial mechanisms involved.