The aging process is associated with sarcopenia, a condition characterized by declining muscle function and mass, which is linked to mitochondrial dysfunction and reduced energy generation in skeletal muscle. While there has been debate about whether these changes are primarily caused by aging itself or by increased sedentary behavior, research shows that exercise can effectively counteract these declines through various mechanisms, including improved mitochondrial coupling efficiency and reduced oxidative stress.
Both endurance training (ET) and resistance training (RT) offer unique benefits. ET increases mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative capacity, while RT enhances muscle mass and improves coupling efficiency without necessarily increasing mitochondrial volume. Concurrent training (CT), which combines both RT and ET, appears to provide the most comprehensive benefits, with studies suggesting that performing resistance training followed by endurance training may be the optimal sequence. The evidence suggests that a combination of moderate-to-high repetition resistance training followed by alternating high and moderate intensity endurance training could be most effective in reversing age-related mitochondrial dysfunction and preserving muscle function in older adults.
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