The Claim
In women aged 62 and older, engaging in 1 to 149 minutes of strength training per week is associated with a 19% to 29% lower risk of all-cause mortality compared to no strength training, independent of aerobic activity levels.
What the research says
Supports is higher
Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.
These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.
Women aged 62 and older who do 1 to 149 minutes of strength training per week have a 19% to 29% lower risk of dying from any cause compared to those who do no strength training, regardless of how much aerobic exercise they do.
See the scientific wording
In women aged 62 and older, engaging in 1 to 149 minutes of strength training per week is associated with a 19% to 29% lower risk of all-cause mortality compared to no strength training, independent of aerobic activity levels, suggesting moderate resistance exercise may contribute to increased longevity.
When older women do moderate strength training, their muscles grow slightly and become better at using sugar from the blood. This lowers blood sugar levels and reduces fat buildup in blood vessels. As a result, the heart and arteries work better, and the chance of dying from heart problems or other causes goes down. Doing too much strength training raises blood pressure too high for too long, which stiffens the arteries and increases heart strain, undoing the benefits.
What the research says
1 studyOlder women who lifted weights 1 to 149 minutes a week were less likely to die from any cause than those who didn’t lift at all—even if they also walked or biked. But lifting more than 150 minutes didn’t help and might have hurt, though that’s not certain.
Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.