Does strength training help you live longer?
Short answer
Linked to longer life; not proven.
Population studies link strength training to lower death risk, 15% lower in a pooled review. Trials that counted deaths had too few to tell. Trials show better strength and movement mainly in frail older adults.
This page says what the research shows. It does not say whether you should do strength training.
Where the evidence stands
Each dot is one on-topic paper. Steps near the top answer the question more directly. Select a dot to see the study.
↑ Stronger evidence
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Trials in people: death and healthy aging
Trials that measured death from any cause and healthy aging directly.
0Not done yet. This is the step that would answer the question.
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Trials in people: other measures
Trials that measured other health or performance measures.
9 -
Trials in people: lab tests or safety
Trials that measured lab tests, side effects or safety.
0None among the papers we read.
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Population studies
Studies that followed or surveyed groups of people. They show links, not causes.
9 -
Blood levels and genes
Studies that link blood levels or genes to health.
0None among the papers we read.
↓ Weaker evidence
- Points to benefit
- Mixed
- No difference
- No direction
- Points to harm
Not on the ladder: 5 reviews of many studies (shown below), 3 opinion or narrative papers. Counts are papers, not people. Some studies appear in more than one paper.
See every studyWhat we found
- A pooled review of 10 studies of adults who were not patients found any resistance training was linked to 15% lower risk of death from any cause (RR 0.85). Shailendra 2022
- Benefit did not keep growing with more training: lowest risk was near 60 minutes per week in one review, and another study saw no added benefit above 120 min/week. Shailendra 2022, Zhang 2026
- Doing both strength and aerobic activity was linked to the lowest death risk: HR 0.60 for both, vs 0.89 for muscle strengthening alone and 0.71 for aerobic alone. Zhao 2020
- Trials that counted deaths found no difference, including a 3-year trial of 2157 adults aged 70 or older, but they had too few deaths to tell. Bischoff-Ferrari 2020, Saunders 2020
What the research says
Population studies link strength training to fewer deaths
Large population studies link strength training to a lower risk of dying from any cause. A pooled review of 10 studies found 15% lower risk (RR 0.85). Single studies found HR 0.89 for meeting the strength guideline and HR 0.94 for any weight training; ratios below one mean lower risk.
These studies show links, not causes. Most relied on people's own reports of their training. In 216 339 older adults, weight training was not linked to death risk among people who did no aerobic exercise.
Studies: Shailendra 2022, Zhao 2020, Shailendra 2024, Zhang 2026
Benefit levels off at higher amounts
The amount linked to the lowest risk differed by study. A pooled review saw it at about 60 minutes per week (RR=0.74), with smaller gains above that. A study following people up to 30 years saw 13% lower risk at 90-119 min/week and no added benefit above 120 min/week.
In 28 879 women, risk was J-shaped: lowest at 20-59 minutes a week (HR 0.71), HR 1.10 at 150 or more, with wide uncertainty. A review of cohorts found 60-150 min a week linked to 20%-25% lower death risk, with less benefit in some studies at 2.5 h/week or more.
Studies: Shailendra 2022, Zhang 2026, Kamada 2017, Giovannucci 2021
Strength plus aerobic activity linked to lowest risk
People who did both strength and aerobic activity had the lowest death risk. In 479 856 US adults, HR was 0.60 for both, 0.71 for aerobic alone and 0.89 for muscle strengthening alone. In the up-to-30-year study, high aerobic plus resistance training was linked to HR 0.55.
In adults with type 2 diabetes, the lowest death risk was with 75-150 min/week of vigorous activity plus 1 time/week of muscle strengthening (HR, 0.30). In 500 705 adults, the lowest risk (HR, 0.50) combined aerobic activity with 2 or more strength sessions a week.
Studies: Zhao 2020, Zhang 2026, Wei 2024, López-Bueno 2023
Trials that counted deaths found no difference
In a 3-year trial of 2157 adults aged 70 or older, 25 deaths occurred, with similar numbers in all groups. A review of 75 stroke trials found risk differences of 0.00 (19/3017 deaths). Trials in heart failure, intensive care and frail adults with diabetes also saw no change.
These trials mostly tested function and had few deaths; the stroke review said it cannot tell whether exercise lowers deaths. One non-randomized study in people with pancreatitis reported fewer deaths with supervised resistance training.
Studies: Bischoff-Ferrari 2020, Saunders 2020, Edelmann 2025, Wu 2023, Rodriguez-Mañas 2019, Huang 2024
Trials show better function in frail older adults
In older adults with frailty or muscle loss, resistance training improved strength and movement. A review of 42 trials (3728 people) found resistance-based exercise most improved quality of life; resistance plus balance raised walking speed by 0.16 m/s. Gains grew with training volume and intensity in a frailty trial.
Results were not the same in healthier people. In 2157 mobile adults aged 70 or older, a 3-year strength program did not improve physical performance. A review of 219 falls trials found supervised balance and resistance programs among the most certain to prevent falls.
Studies: Shen 2023, Lai 2023, Marcos-Perez 2025, Rodriguez-Mañas 2019, Chen 2025, Bischoff-Ferrari 2020, Pillay 2024
What reviews of many studies found
Reviews pool or sum up earlier studies. They are not on the ladder, because they repeat studies already counted there.
Pooled review (meta-analysis) · Shailendra 2022
Pooled 10 studies of adults who were not patients. Any resistance training was linked to 15% lower death risk (RR 0.85); the lowest risk was at about 60 minutes per week, with smaller gains at higher amounts.
Pooled review (meta-analysis) · Pillay 2024
Pooled 219 trials with 167,864 adults aged 65 or older. Supervised, long balance/resistance programs and group Tai Chi had the most certain benefit for preventing falls over 1-2 years. Many other outcomes had very low certainty.
Pooled review (meta-analysis) · Saunders 2020
Pooled 75 trials with 3017 mostly walking stroke survivors, 20 of them resistance training (779 people). No training changed deaths (19/3017), too few to tell. Strength and walking speed improved; too few data on resistance training and disability.
Pooled review (meta-analysis) · Shen 2023
Pooled 42 trials with 3728 older adults with muscle loss, median follow-up 12 weeks. Resistance exercise, alone or with nutrition, aerobic or balance training, most improved quality of life. Deaths were a planned outcome, but no result is given.
How the research grew
The papers we read span 2016 to 2026. 12 of the 26 on-topic papers came out in 2024 to 2026. The earliest trial in people here is from 2019.
- 2016
- 2017
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
- 2026
Each dot is one on-topic paper, colored by what it found. Rings mark key papers:
- 2017. Older women study finds J-shaped link with deaths. Kamada 2017
- 2020. Large US survey: strength alone linked to fewer deaths. Zhao 2020
- 2020. Largest trial: 3 years of strength training, 2157 adults. Bischoff-Ferrari 2020
- 2022. Pooled review links resistance training to fewer deaths. Shailendra 2022
- 2026. Up to 30 years of repeated training measures. Zhang 2026
Who was studied
Who took part, and how many. The largest trial here had 2,157 people; the largest population study had 500,705.
- Trials in people
- 2,157 people · Bischoff-Ferrari 2020
healthy adults aged 70 or older (mean age 74.9) who could move well - 148 people · Midttun 2024
men aged 70 or older with low testosterone and trouble moving, median age 77 - Population, blood and gene studies
- 500,705 people · López-Bueno 2023
US adults in a national health survey, mean age 46.4, followed a median 10.0 years - 216,339 people · Shailendra 2024
US adults, mean age 69.9, followed to 2019; about 25% did weight training - 47,538 people · Wei 2024
US adults with type 2 diabetes (47,538) in a national survey, plus 561,963 without diabetes - 28,879 people · Kamada 2017
US women, average age 62.2, free of heart disease, diabetes and cancer; followed 12 years - People in the study, log scale1101001,00010,000100,0001,000,000
- Points to benefit
- Mixed
- No difference
- No direction
- Points to harm
Bars use a log scale: each step is ten times more people. Reviews, animal studies and papers with no count in the abstract are not shown.
Who funds this research
3 of 9 trial papers have a company stake: author fees from drug and food firms such as Pfizer, Nestlé, AstraZeneca and Bayer, and Bayer supplied free testosterone. None sell strength training. This did not change the confidence.
- Company stake 3
- No disclosure in PubMed 2
- No stake declared 4
- Bischoff-Ferrari 2020Company stake
- Edelmann 2025Company stake
- Midttun 2024Company stake
- Rodriguez-Mañas 2019No disclosure in PubMed
- Marcos-Perez 2025No disclosure in PubMed
- Zhang 2025No stake declared
- Wu 2023No stake declared
- Lai 2023No stake declared
- Yang 2025No stake declared
Funding rule. A stake is always shown. Confidence is lowered only when every supporting study comes from a party with a stake. "No disclosure in PubMed" means the PubMed record has no conflict-of-interest statement. It does not mean there is no conflict.
All 26 on-topic papers
Each paper shows what it tested, what it found, and who has a stake. Every paper also has its own page that explains how much it counts and how it fits. See every study as a list.
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Combined endurance and resistance exercise training in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a randomized controlled trial.
322 people · patients with heart failure (stiff heart), mean age 70
Tested12 months of endurance plus resistance exercise vs usual care
The main combined score did not differ between groups (Kendall's tau-b = -0.073, P = 0.17). Peak oxygen use rose by 1.3 ml kg-1 min-1. No difference in time to hospital stay or all-cause mortality.
No differenceCompany stakeAbstract onlyMany authors report fees or grants from heart drug makers such as AstraZeneca, Bayer, Novartis, Pfizer; two hold shares in a trial services company.
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Randomized trial · other health measuresZhang et al., 2025Journal of medical Internet research · PubMed
A 4-Week Mobile App-Based Telerehabilitation Program vs Conventional In-Person Rehabilitation in Older Adults With Sarcopenia: Randomized Controlled Trial.
51 people · older adults with sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss)
Tested4 weeks of resistance training for 6 muscle groups, guided by a phone app vs by a therapist in person
In both groups grip strength rose (TRG 18.10 to 19.92 kg; IRG 18.59 to 19.59 kg) and balance score (BBS) rose by about 3 points. Between-group differences were not significant. There was no no-training group.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
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Randomized trial · other health measuresMarcos-Perez et al., 2025Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · PubMed
Resistance Exercise Intervention Restores Functional Capacity and Improves Frailty Biomarkers in Centenarians.
12 people · centenarians (people aged 100 or more); 19 enrolled, 12 finished
Tested12 weeks of resistance exercise vs no exercise (control)
The exercise group improved on the physical performance test (SPPB 5.0 after vs 2.3 before; p = 0.01) and on frailty scores (Fried 3.0 vs 3.8). Only 12 people finished.
Points to benefitNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
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The effect of different exercise modalities on older adults' quality of life: an assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial.
78 people · adults aged 66 to 96 living in a nursing home
Tested12 to 24 weeks of aerobic exercise, or resistance training, or traditional Chinese gong exercise; no no-exercise group
In nursing home residents aged 66-96, all three exercise types raised the SF-36 quality-of-life total score over 12-24 weeks. Resistance training improved mental health, physical functioning, social functioning and role emotional scores. There was no non-exercise group.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
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Randomized trial · other health measuresMidttun et al., 2024Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · PubMed
Beneficial effects of exercise, testosterone, vitamin D, calcium and protein in older men-A randomized clinical trial.
148 people · men aged 70 or older with low testosterone and trouble moving, median age 77
Tested20 weeks of progressive strength training plus vitamin D, calcium and protein; testosterone shots; both together; or nothing
On the 30-second chair stand test, the group that got strength training, testosterone and supplements scored a median 13 vs 10 for controls (P = 0.003). Effects of strength training alone are not stated.
Points to benefitCompany stakeAbstract onlyBayer gave the testosterone drug and placebo free; authors declare no conflicts and say Bayer had no role.
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Effects of a multilevel intervention of resistance training with or without beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate in medical ICU patients during entire hospitalisation: a four-arm multicentre randomised controlled trial.
112 people · adult patients in a medical intensive care unit
TestedResistance exercise, or 3 g/day HMB supplement, or both, vs standard care, until hospital discharge
Resistance training raised the SPPB score by 3.848 points and 6-minute walk by 99.768 m vs control. No clear change in 60-day mortality, muscle mass or quality of life.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
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Randomized trial · other health measuresLai et al., 2023Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · PubMed
Dose-response effects of resistance training on physical function in frail older Chinese adults: A randomized controlled trial.
161 people · frail older adults in China
Tested12 weeks of resistance training at 3 intensity levels and 2 volume levels (6 groups), vs routine care
More volume and higher intensity gave more leg strength and better 6-minute walk results, in a dose-dependent way. High volume also improved the 30-second sit-to-stand and walk test.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
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Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation, Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation, or a Strength-Training Exercise Program on Clinical Outcomes in Older Adults: The DO-HEALTH Randomized Clinical Trial.
2,157 people · healthy adults aged 70 or older (mean age 74.9) who could move well
TestedA strength-training exercise program for 3 years, alone or with vitamin D3 (2000 IU/d) and/or omega-3s (1 g/d), vs placebo, in 8 groups.
No clear benefit of the strength program on blood pressure, physical performance (SPPB), memory test, bone fractures or infections at 3 years. A total of 25 deaths were reported, with similar numbers in all groups.
No differenceCompany stakeAbstract onlySome authors report fees or grants from Pfizer, Nestle, Roche, Amgen and other firms that sell supplements or drugs; vitamin D and omega-3 were also tested.
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Randomized trial · other health measuresRodriguez-Mañas et al., 2019Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · PubMed
Effectiveness of a multimodal intervention in functionally impaired older people with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
964 people · frail or near-frail adults over 70 with type 2 diabetes
Tested16 weeks of progressive resistance exercise plus diabetes and nutrition teaching and better diabetes care, vs usual care. Followed 12 months.
After 12 months, the program group scored 0.85 points higher on the physical performance test (SPPB; 95% CI, 0.44 to 1.26, P < 0.0001). No group difference was found in death, hospital stays or other secondary outcomes.
Points to benefitNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
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Long-term resistance training with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: assessing dose-response and joint associations with aerobic physical activity.
147,374 people · US nurses and health professionals, followed up to 30 years
TestedMinutes per week of resistance training (asked every 2 years) vs none, linked to deaths
90-119 min/week of resistance training: 13% lower all-cause death risk (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.95) vs none. No added benefit above 120 min/week. Lowest risk with high aerobic plus resistance (HR 0.55).
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
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Population study: followed a groupJi et al., 2024Journal of the American College of Cardiology · PubMed
Sex Differences in Association of Physical Activity With All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality.
412,413 people · US adults, 55% women, average age 44
TestedLeisure-time physical activity (frequency, duration, intensity, type) vs inactivity, by sex
Regular leisure-time activity was linked to 24% (HR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.73-0.80) lower all-cause death risk in women and 15% (HR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.82-0.89) in men. Women's larger gain also held for muscle strengthening (P = 0.009).
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyFunded by public grants; authors report no relevant relationships.
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Population study: followed a groupShailendra et al., 2024International journal of epidemiology · PubMed
Weight training and risk of all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality among older adults.
216,339 people · US adults, mean age 69.9, followed to 2019; about 25% did weight training
TestedAny weight training in the past year vs none, linked to deaths
Any weight training: all-cause death HR = 0.94 (95% CI = 0.93-0.96), heart disease HR = 0.92, cancer HR = 0.95. More time gave only slightly more benefit. No link among people who did no aerobic exercise.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
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Nurse Supervised at Institutes versus Nurse Counseling Home-Based Resistance Exercise Training for Acute Pancreatitis.
381 people · adults with acute pancreatitis
Tested6 months of nurse-supervised resistance exercise (103 people), home resistance exercise with nurse advice (123), or usual care (155), all with protein advice
The nurse-supervised group had better quality of life and less pain and disability. Fewer of them were hospitalized and died than in the usual care and home groups (p ≤ 0.001 for both).
Points to benefitNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
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Association of aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality among adults with type 2 diabetes: A prospective cohort of US adults.
47,538 people · US adults with type 2 diabetes (47,538) in a national survey, plus 561,963 without diabetes
TestedModerate, vigorous and muscle-strengthening activity, alone and together, linked to death
Meeting the muscle-strengthening guideline gave similar benefits to the moderate-activity guideline (HR 0.72 for moderate, 150-299 min/week). Lowest all-cause death was with 75-150 min/week vigorous activity plus 1 time/week of muscle strengthening (HR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.13-0.70).
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
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Prospective Associations of Different Combinations of Aerobic and Muscle-Strengthening Activity With All-Cause, Cardiovascular, and Cancer Mortality.
500,705 people · US adults in a national health survey, mean age 46.4, followed a median 10.0 years
Tested48 mixes of moderate aerobic, vigorous aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity (2 or more sessions a week or not), vs no aerobic and less muscle strengthening than recommended
Lowest all-cause death risk (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.42-0.59) was for some moderate aerobic, more than 150 minutes of vigorous aerobic and 2 or more muscle-strengthening sessions a week. Muscle strengthening alone is not isolated in the abstract.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyAuthors report only public research support; no company tie.
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Recommended physical activity and all cause and cause specific mortality in US adults: prospective cohort study.
479,856 people · US adults aged 18 and older in a national health survey
TestedMeeting the guideline for muscle strengthening only, aerobic only, or both, vs not meeting guidelines. Median follow-up 8.75 years.
Muscle strengthening alone: all-cause death HR 0.89 (95% CI 0.85 to 0.94). Aerobic alone 0.71; both 0.60 (0.57 to 0.62).
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared; no financial ties to interested organisations.
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Population study: followed a groupKamada et al., 2017Journal of the American Heart Association · PubMed
Strength Training and All-Cause, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer Mortality in Older Women: A Cohort Study.
28,879 people · US women, average age 62.2, free of heart disease, diabetes and cancer; followed 12 years
TestedMinutes a week of strength training (0, 1-19, 20-59, 60-149, 150 or more) vs none, linked to death
All-cause death HRs: 0.73 (1-19), 0.71 (20-59), 0.81 (60-149) and 1.10 (≥150 min/wk; 0.77-1.56). J-shaped curve; lowest risk at 20-59 minutes a week. Wide intervals at high amounts.
MixedNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed; funded by US National Institutes of Health.
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Muscle strengthening activities and mortality with considerations by hearing sensitivity.
1,482 people · US adults aged 20 to 85 in a national survey, median follow-up 89 months
TestedMeeting the guideline for muscle strengthening (2 or more sessions a week) vs not, linked to death, by hearing level
Among adults with moderate or worse hearing loss who met the guideline, risk of death from any cause was 71% lower (HRadjusted = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.10-0.83; P = 0.02). 152 people died.
Points to benefitNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
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Effects of Resistance Exercise in Older Adults With Sarcopenic Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
12 studies · older adults with both muscle loss and obesity
TestedResistance exercise vs control groups
Grip strength rose (effect size=1.560, 95% CI=[0.178, 2.941]) and body fat percentage fell (effect size=-1.737). Gait speed and body mass index did not improve significantly.
MixedNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
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Falls prevention interventions for community-dwelling older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of benefits, harms, and patient values and preferences.
219 studies, 167,864 people · community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older
TestedMany falls-prevention programs, including balance and resistance exercise, vs usual care
Supervised, long-term balance and resistance programs were among those with the most certain benefit for preventing falls over 1 to 2 years. Many non-fall outcomes had very low certainty.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
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Exercise for sarcopenia in older people: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.
42 studies, 3,728 people · older adults with sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss), median age 72.9 years
TestedDifferent kinds of exercise, mainly resistance exercise with or without nutrition or with aerobic and balance training, vs usual care. Median follow-up 12 weeks.
Resistance exercise, alone or combined, gave the best quality of life (standardized mean difference from 0.68 to 1.11). Resistance plus balance exercise raised gait speed by 0.16 m/s. Mortality was a planned outcome; no result is given.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
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Pooled review (meta-analysis)Shailendra et al., 2022American journal of preventive medicine · PubMed
Resistance Training and Mortality Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
10 studies · healthy adults aged 18 and older, not patients
TestedAny resistance training vs none, linked to deaths from any cause, heart disease and cancer. Dose-response analysis of 4 studies.
Any resistance training: all-cause death RR 0.85 (95% CI 0.77, 0.93), heart disease death 0.81, cancer death 0.86. Lowest risk, 27% lower (RR=0.74), at about 60 minutes per week; benefit shrank at higher amounts.
Points to benefitNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
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Pooled review (meta-analysis)Saunders et al., 2020The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · PubMed
Physical fitness training for stroke patients.
75 studies, 3,017 people · mostly walking stroke survivors
TestedHeart-lung, resistance (20 studies, 779 people) or mixed training vs usual care or no exercise
Death was not changed by any training; risk differences were all 0.00 (19/3017 deaths at end of training). Too few data to judge resistance training on disability. Strength and walking speed improved.
MixedCompany stakeAbstract onlyOne author gets small royalties (about GBP 100 a year) from a book on fitness training after stroke; no company tie.
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Meeting guidelines for physical activity, muscle strength, and sleep lowers mortality risk: Commentary on: "Associations between aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity, sleep duration, and risk of all-cause mortality: A prospective cohort study of 282,473 U.S. adults".
US adults (comment on a cohort of 282,473 adults, from title)
TestedCommentary on a study of aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity and sleep linked to death
No abstract in PubMed.
No weight on the ladderNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
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Association of Muscle-Strengthening and Aerobic Physical Activity With Mortality in US Adults Aged 65 Years or Older.
US adults aged 65 or older (from title)
TestedMuscle-strengthening and aerobic activity linked to death (from title)
No abstract in PubMed.
No weight on the ladderNo stake declaredAbstract onlyOne author reports an NHLBI training grant; no company tie declared.
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Muscle-strengthening activities and risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and mortality: A review of prospective cohort studies.
adults mostly free of major chronic disease at the start
TestedReview of large cohort studies of muscle-strengthening activity (1-2 sessions, about 60-150 min a week) and disease and death
About 60 to 150 min a week was linked to about 20%-25% lower all-cause death (six studies). Some studies show less benefit, or harm, at 2.5 h/week or more.
No weight on the ladderNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
28 papers we read and set aside as off topic
- Fisher et al., 2022. Resistance training in heart failure patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (pooled review (meta-analysis))
- Correia et al., 2023. Strength training for arterial hypertension treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. (pooled review (meta-analysis))
- Al-Mhanna et al., 2024. Combined Aerobic and Resistance Training Improves Body Composition, Alters Cardiometabolic Risk, and Ameliorates Cancer-Related Indicators in Breast Cancer Patients and Survivors with Overweight/Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. (pooled review (meta-analysis))
- Farley et al., 2026. The Effects of Inspiratory Muscle Training in Critically ill Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (pooled review (meta-analysis))
- Lopez et al., 2022. Resistance training effectiveness on body composition and body weight outcomes in individuals with overweight and obesity across the lifespan: A systematic review and meta-analysis. (pooled review (meta-analysis))
- Bettariga et al., 2025. A single bout of resistance or high-intensity interval training increases anti-cancer myokines and suppresses cancer cell growth in vitro in survivors of breast cancer. (randomized trial)
- Kleckner et al., 2018. Effects of exercise during chemotherapy on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: a multicenter, randomized controlled trial. (randomized trial)
- Akowuah et al., 2023. A randomised controlled trial of prehabilitation in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. (randomized trial)
- Troche et al., 2010. Aspiration and swallowing in Parkinson disease and rehabilitation with EMST: a randomized trial. (randomized trial)
- Bausys et al., 2023. Effect of home-based prehabilitation on postoperative complications after surgery for gastric cancer: randomized clinical trial. (randomized trial)
- Brown et al., 2023. Physical Activity in Stage III Colon Cancer: CALGB/SWOG 80702 (Alliance). (population study: followed a group)
- Bruce et al., 2021. Fall prevention interventions in primary care to reduce fractures and falls in people aged 70 years and over: the PreFIT three-arm cluster RCT. (randomized trial)
- Deutz et al., 2013. Effect of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) on lean body mass during 10 days of bed rest in older adults. (randomized trial)
- Winker et al., 2022. Exercise reduces systemic immune inflammation index (SII) in childhood cancer patients. (randomized trial)
- Troche et al., 2023. Rehabilitating Cough Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial. (randomized trial)
- Zhang et al., 2023. Exercise training-attenuated insulin resistance and liver injury in elderly pre-diabetic patients correlates with NLRP3 inflammasome. (randomized trial)
- Moosavi et al., 2024. Metabolomic response to acute resistance exercise in healthy older adults by 1H-NMR. (population study: one-time survey)
- Wadsworth et al., 2022. Adaptations to a Concurrent Exercise Training Program in Inactive Aging Women. (randomized trial)
- Whelton et al., 2025. Dietary and Physical Activity Approaches to the Management of High Blood Pressure. (opinion or narrative review)
- Peterson et al., 2023. Grip strength is inversely associated with DNA methylation age acceleration. (population study: followed a group)
- Jorgenson et al., 2024. A novel imaging method (FIM-ID) reveals that myofibrillogenesis plays a major role in the mechanically induced growth of skeletal muscle. (other)
- Springer et al., 2017. Muscle wasting and sarcopenia in heart failure and beyond: update 2017. (opinion or narrative review)
- Bäcker et al., 2020. Exertional rhabdomyolysis and causes of elevation of creatine kinase. (population study: one-time survey)
- Miranda Furtado et al., 2024. Resistance and aerobic training increases genome-wide DNA methylation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. (trial, not randomized)
- Bulut et al., 2024. Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction Years After Cessation of Anabolic Androgenic Steroid Use. (population study: one-time survey)
- Kirkman et al., 2021. Exercise intolerance in kidney diseases: physiological contributors and therapeutic strategies. (opinion or narrative review)
- Verstraeten et al., 2024. High Sarcopenia Awareness Contrasts a Lack of Clinical Implementation Among Geriatric Rehabilitation Health Care Professionals in the Netherlands: EMPOWER-GR. (population study: one-time survey)
- Verstraeten et al., 2024. Sarcopenia knowledge of geriatric rehabilitation patients is low while they are willing to start sarcopenia treatment: EMPOWER-GR. (population study: one-time survey)
Words on this page
- SMD (standardized mean difference)
- A way to compare results measured on different scales. About 0.2 is a small effect, 0.5 medium, and 0.8 large.
- Hazard ratio (HR)
- Compares how often something happened in two groups over time. 1 means no difference. 0.80 means 20% lower risk; 1.20 means 20% higher.
- Relative risk (RR)
- Compares the risk in two groups. 1 means no difference. 0.85 means 15% lower risk.
- 95% CI (confidence interval)
- The range where the true result likely lies. If the range includes no effect (1 for ratios, 0 for differences), the result is not clear.
- p-value (p =)
- How likely a result this large would be by chance if there were no real effect. Below 0.05 is usually called a clear result.
- Placebo
- A dummy pill or fake treatment, so people do not know which group they are in.
- Pooled review (meta-analysis)
- A study that combines the results of many earlier studies to get one overall answer.
- Cohort study
- A study that follows a large group of people over years. It shows links, not causes.
How the short answer is set
Fixed rules turn the studies into the short answer, so the same studies always give the same answer. The rules start from GRADE, a standard system for rating evidence, in plain language.
| Confidence | What it means |
|---|---|
| High | We are confident the answer is right. |
| Moderate | The answer is probably right, but it could change. |
| Low (this page) | The answer may well change. |
| Very low | Any answer is very uncertain. |
| Not tested in people | Only cell or animal studies exist. |
Why low here
- Evidence on deaths comes from population studies, which show links, not causes.
- Trials that counted deaths had few and found no difference.
- Benefit did not grow with more training; one study saw a J-shape.
- Most studies used people's own reports of how much they trained.
Hard limit used. The trials that counted deaths had too few to show a difference, so the link to longer life rests on population studies, which cannot show cause.
How this page was made
Label
- Search
- PubMed, Nov 14, 2026. Searches written by Claude Opus 5.5; papers ranked by PubMed
- First read of all 54 papers
- Claude Sonnet
- Independent second read
- Claude Haiku
- Disagreements settled by
- Claude Opus 5.5
- Page text written by
- Claude Opus 5.5
- Charts
- Drawn by code from the study records
- Source check by a person
- Not yet. Required before search engines may list this page.
- Expert review
- No
- Papers read in full
- 0 of 54; all from PubMed abstracts
- Method
- v0.2, created Nov 14, 2026
Search. We ran four PubMed searches for strength (resistance) training and death from any cause and healthy aging: pooled and systematic reviews since 2012 (10 of 162), trials in people (22 of 185), population studies (22 of 98). The first number is how many papers we read; the second is how many PubMed found. We took the ones PubMed ranks as most relevant. See the full PubMed search. Of the 54 papers read, 26 were on topic.
Limits. Digestery reads at most about 60 papers per question, so large fields are sampled, not covered in full. Abstracts can leave out key details, such as side effects and funding.
Review queue
These items wait for a person. Search engines are asked not to list the page until the first one is done.
- OpenThe short answer is new. It waits for a source check by a person.
- OpenSaunders 2020: stake set to company for about GBP 100 a year in book royalties on stroke fitness training; decide if this counts.
- OpenWebber 2022: no abstract; title suggests a cohort of adults 65 or older on muscle strengthening and death. Get design and results.
- OpenAinsworth 2023: commentary with no abstract on a 282,473-adult cohort; consider excluding it and adding the original cohort paper.
- OpenHuang 2024: pancreatitis study with non-randomized groups, no death counts and no COI statement; kept relevant on a weak basis.
- OpenZhao 2020, López-Bueno 2023, Wei 2024 and Ji 2024 all use the US National Health Interview Survey; the same people likely appear across papers.
- OpenDisease-group trials (heart failure, ICU, pancreatitis) counted relevant because they report deaths; Brown 2023 (colon cancer survival) kept off-topic. Confirm rule.
- OpenBruce 2021 PreFIT (people 70 or older, deaths reported) is off-topic because the abstract does not say strength training. Check exercise content.
Page history
| Date | Change | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 14, 2026 | Page created from 54 papers. | First version of the page. |
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