In 30 seconds
- In 47 studies with people aged 50 to 92, strength training increased strength by between 24% and 33%, depending on the exercise.
- In 49 studies with people over 50, it added an average of 1.1 kg of lean mass, and more with higher-volume programmes.
- Programmes combining balance and strength reduced falls by 34% in people over 60.
- With creatine, the result was greater: 1.37 kg more lean mass and more strength than with placebo in 22 trials.
Strength training is the tool with the most support for gaining strength and muscle from 50 onwards, and also for falling less. It works at any age, even beyond 90. This is what the meta-analyses say, with the figures so you know what to expect and how to train.
Why strength matters so much
With age you lose muscle, but above all you lose strength, and that is what you notice most in everyday life: climbing stairs, carrying the shopping, getting up from a chair. We explain it in sarcopenia: how to slow muscle loss.
The good news is that older muscle still responds to training, and it responds well.
Level of evidence by outcome
| Outcome | Evidence | What the data show |
|---|---|---|
| More strength | High | Between 24% and 33% more depending on the exercise, in 47 studies with 1,079 people aged 50 to 92. |
| More lean mass | High | 1.1 kg on average in 49 studies with 1,328 people aged 50 or over. |
| Fewer falls | High | 23% fewer with exercise and 34% fewer with programmes combining balance and strength. |
| Results beyond 80 too | Moderate | Large strength gains in people up to 92; in a trial with people in their nineties, 174% in 8 weeks. |
| More strength and muscle with creatine | High | 1.37 kg more lean mass in 22 trials. Authorised health claim for people over 55 who train. |
| Lower mortality | Low | 15% lower in adults who did strength training, in observational studies. |
The rating is our own, based on the number of studies, their quality and the consistency of the results.
The key studies
| Study | Type | Sample | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peterson et al., 2010 | Meta-analysis | 47 studies, 1,079 people aged 50 to 92 | Strength: 29% more on the leg press, 24% on the chest press, 33% on knee extension and 25% on the lat pulldown. Greater gains at higher intensity. 1 |
| Peterson et al., 2011 | Meta-analysis | 49 studies, 1,328 people aged 50 or over | 1.1 kg more lean mass on average. More with higher-volume programmes; slightly less in the oldest participants. 2 |
| Borde et al., 2015 | Meta-analysis | 25 trials, 819 people with an average age of 70 | Large effect on strength. The largest gains with 70-79% of 1RM and 2-3 sets of 7-9 repetitions. 3 |
| Fiatarone et al., 1990 | Trial | 10 people aged 90 living in a care home | 8 weeks of intense strength training: 174% more strength, 9% more thigh muscle and 48% faster walking speed. 4 |
| Sherrington et al., 2020 | Systematic review | 59 trials, 12,981 people aged 60 or over | Exercise reduced falls by 23%. Programmes combining balance and strength, by 34%. 5 |
| Momma et al., 2022 | Meta-analysis of cohorts | 16 studies | Strength training was associated with 15% lower mortality. The greatest benefit, with 30-60 minutes a week. 6 |
| Chilibeck et al., 2017 | Meta-analysis | 22 trials, 721 people with an average age of 57-70 | Creatine with strength training: 1.37 kg more lean mass and more strength on the chest press and leg press than with placebo. 8 |
Strength gained, on average
How much strength was gained, by exercise
How much strength you gain
Peterson’s meta-analysis brought together 47 studies with 1,079 people aged 50 to 92, with an average age of 67 1. After strength training, they gained on average:
- Leg press: 29% more strength, about 32 kg.
- Knee extension: 33% more.
- Lat pulldown: 25% more.
- Chest press: 24% more.
The most useful finding: the higher the intensity, the more strength was gained 1. Training with weights that take effort to move gives better results than exercises that are too easy.
How much muscle
In another meta-analysis, with 49 studies and 1,328 people aged 50 or over, strength training added an average of 1.1 kg of lean mass 2. Two caveats:
- Volume counts: programmes with a higher training volume produced more muscle.
- Sooner is better: the oldest people gained slightly less, so the authors suggest starting as early as possible.
It is never too late
8 weeks of strength training at 90
It is never too late
The Fiatarone trial is a classic. Ten people aged 90 living in a care home did high-intensity strength training for 8 weeks 4:
- Strength: 174% more.
- Thigh muscle: 9% more area.
- Walking speed: 48% faster.
The authors conclude that intense training improved strength, muscle size and mobility in people up to 96 years old 4.
Fewer falls
A Cochrane systematic review brought together 59 trials with 12,981 people aged 60 or over 5:
- Any exercise programme: 23% fewer falls, with high certainty.
- Balance and functional exercises: 24% fewer.
- Programmes combining several types, usually balance and strength: 34% fewer.
That is why the WHO recommends that adults work on strength at least 2 days a week and, from 65 onwards, add activities that combine balance, coordination and strength on 3 or more days, to prevent falls 7.
More years in good health
A meta-analysis of 16 cohort studies found that adults who did strength exercises had 15% lower mortality and 17% less cardiovascular disease and diabetes 6. The greatest benefit appeared with 30-60 minutes a week. Combined with aerobic exercise, mortality was 40% lower 6.
These are observational studies, which show association rather than cause. But they point in the same direction as the trials.
How to train: the approach that worked best
Borde’s meta-analysis analysed 25 trials with 819 people with an average age of 70 and looked at which variables produced the most strength 3:
| Variable | What worked best |
|---|---|
| Sessions per week | 2 |
| Sets per exercise | 2-3 |
| Repetitions per set | 7-9 |
| Intensity | 70-79% of your one-repetition maximum (1RM) |
| Duration of each repetition | About 6 seconds |
| Rest between sets | About 60 seconds |
| Programme length | The largest effects, with 50-53 weeks |
Source: Borde et al., 2015. 25 trials with 819 people with an average age of 70. Each variable was analysed separately.
In practice, to get started:
- 2 sessions a week, full body: legs, back, chest and shoulders.
- 2-3 sets of 7-9 repetitions, with a weight that challenges you by the end of each set.
- Slow, controlled repetitions, of about 6 seconds, and a minute’s rest between sets.
- Increase the weight gradually and stick with the plan for months: the largest effects came after a year 3.
- Add balance work, especially from 65 onwards 7.
If you have cardiovascular or joint disease, or take medication, check with your doctor before you start. You will find a complete plan in the guide to training after 40.
Creatine for people over 55
How to get the effect in the health claim
What creatine adds
In a meta-analysis of 22 trials with 721 older adults who did strength training 2-3 days a week, those who took creatine gained 1.37 kg more lean mass and more strength on the chest press and leg press than with placebo 8.
EFSA reviewed the trials in people over 55 who took at least 3 g a day and did strength training. One important detail: taking it every day worked; taking it only on training days did not 9. That is where the authorised health claim comes from 10:
Daily creatine consumption can enhance the effect of resistance training on muscle strength in adults over the age of 55. A varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.
It is obtained with 3 g of creatine a day and strength training at least three times a week for several weeks, at a minimum of 65-75% of your maximum 10. We cover it in detail in creatine in older adults.
And protein
Training is the signal; protein is the building material. You will find how much you need from 65 onwards, and how to spread it out, in protein in older adults: what the studies say.
Our creatine, alongside your training
Our Creatine monohydrate is micronised to 200 mesh, unflavoured and with no other ingredients. Our recommended use is 3 g a day, one scoop, every day and with no loading phase: the amount in the official health claim. You can take it in a milky coffee, in juice or in water.
Frequently asked questions
At what age is it too late to start strength training?
There is no age limit. In a trial with people aged 90 living in a care home, 8 weeks of strength training increased their strength by 174% and their walking speed by 48%.
How many days a week should an older person do strength training?
The WHO recommends working on strength at least 2 days a week and, from 65 onwards, doing activities that combine balance and strength on 3 or more days. In a meta-analysis with older adults, 2 sessions a week gave the greatest strength gains.
How much weight should older people train with?
With loads that are challenging. In 47 studies, the higher the intensity, the more strength was gained. Another meta-analysis found the largest gains with 70-79% of maximum, in 2-3 sets of 7-9 repetitions.
Does strength training prevent falls?
In people over 60, exercise reduced falls by 23% in 59 trials. Programmes combining balance and strength reduced them by 34%.
Does creatine help if you are older and train?
In a meta-analysis of 22 trials with older adults doing strength training, creatine added 1.37 kg of lean mass and more strength than placebo. For people over 55, the EU authorises this claim: “Daily creatine consumption can enhance the effect of resistance training on muscle strength in adults over the age of 55.”
Sources
- Peterson MD, Rhea MR, Sen A, Gordon PM. Resistance exercise for muscular strength in older adults: a meta-analysis. Ageing Res Rev. 2010;9(3):226-237. View publication
- Peterson MD, Sen A, Gordon PM. Influence of resistance exercise on lean body mass in aging adults: a meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(2):249-258. View publication
- Borde R, Hortobágyi T, Granacher U. Dose-response relationships of resistance training in healthy old adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2015;45(12):1693-1720. View publication
- Fiatarone MA, Marks EC, Ryan ND, Meredith CN, Lipsitz LA, Evans WJ. High-intensity strength training in nonagenarians: effects on skeletal muscle. JAMA. 1990;263(22):3029-3034. View publication
- Sherrington C, Fairhall N, Wallbank G, et al. Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community: an abridged Cochrane systematic review. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(15):885-891. View publication
- Momma H, Kawakami R, Honda T, Sawada SS. Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Br J Sports Med. 2022;56(13):755. View publication
- Bull FC, Al-Ansari SS, Biddle S, et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(24):1451-1462. View publication
- Chilibeck PD, Kaviani M, Candow DG, Zello GA. Effect of creatine supplementation during resistance training on lean tissue mass and muscular strength in older adults: a meta-analysis. Open Access J Sports Med. 2017;8:213-226. View publication
- EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Creatine in combination with resistance training and improvement in muscle strength: evaluation of a health claim pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. EFSA Journal. 2016;14(2):4400. View publication
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/672 of 7 April 2017 authorising a health claim relating to creatine. View publication
Information based on published studies. It does not replace the advice of a doctor or registered dietitian. The results describe what was measured in each study, not the properties of any specific product.
