Is power training effective to produce muscle hypertrophy in older adults? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Version 2 2024-06-06, 06:11Version 2 2024-06-06, 06:11
Version 1 2023-07-06, 03:08Version 1 2023-07-06, 03:08
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-06, 06:11authored byLucas Orssatto, ES Bezerra, AJ Shield, GS Trajano
Power training has been suggested to be effective in improving strength, power, and functional capacity in older adults. However, there is still a lack of systematic investigations reporting its effectiveness for muscle hypertrophy. Thus, this study investigated the effect of power training on muscle hypertrophy and compared its magnitude with traditional moderate-velocity resistance training in older adults. A systematic search was conducted to identify clinical trials investigating the effect of power training on muscle hypertrophy (power training vs. control) and/or comparing the effect of power training versus moderate-velocity resistance training for a meta-analytical approach. Ten studies comparing power training to control conditions and 9 studies comparing power training to moderate-velocity resistance training were selected. Three studies were classified as high quality and 2 were preregistered. The meta-analysis showed that power training was superior for muscle hypertrophy compared with control condition (n = 8 studies; standardised mean difference (SMD) = 0.31; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.04, 0.58; p = 0.029), and resulted in similar hypertrophy compared with moderate-velocity resistance training (n = 7 studies; SMD = 0.07; 95% CI = –0.18, 0.32; p = 0.50). No significant heterogeneity was observed (p = 0.46 and 0.54, and I2 = 0% and 0%, respectively). Our data suggest that power training is effective for muscle hypertrophy in older adults, with similar effectiveness as moderate-velocity resistance training. (PROSPERO registration no.: CRD42019128951.) Novelty It is known that power training might be superior to moderate-velocity resistance training for function improvements in older adults, but there was no meta-analysis investigating its effect on muscle hypertrophy. Power training is effective to induce muscle hypertrophy in older adults to a similar extent as moderate-velocity resistance training.