Search

Resistance training is recommended for preventing sarcopenia, but the benefits for the quality and quantity of muscle mass are uncertain.To assess the effects of high-intensity resistance training (HIRT) on clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters in women with sarcopenia.A researcher-blinded randomized clinical trial was conducted. Community-dwelling older women with sarcopenia were randomized to six months of HIRT or a control group (CG). Body composition was assessed with bioimpedance equipment, and participants underwent strength and functional performance tests (short physical performance battery [SPPB] and gait speed). MRI scans of the thigh were taken to quantify muscle mass and quality.Thirty-eight women completed the study (20 in the HIRT group). Sarcopenia remitted in 50 % of the HIRT group. HIRT elicited a significant group × time interaction effect for muscle mass (p = 0.027; ȠHIRT led to the remission of sarcopenia in half of the older women, as seen in muscle mass, strength, and functional performance and MRI biomarkers, with significant increases in muscle quality. REGISTERED IN CLINICALTRIALS.GOV: NCT03834558.