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Updated: Jun 7, 2026

Improving Strength, Power, Muscle Aerobic Capacity, and Glucose Tolerance through Short-term Progressive Strength Training Among Elderly People
Published on: July 5, 2017
Metabolic benefits of resistance training and fast glycolytic skeletal muscle
Nathan K LeBrasseur1, Kenneth Walsh, Zoltan Arany
1Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. lebrasseur.nathan@mayo.edu
Abstract:
Skeletal muscle exhibits remarkable plasticity with respect to its metabolic properties. Recent work has shown that interventions such as resistance training, genetic alterations and pharmacological strategies that increase muscle mass and glycolytic capacity, and not necessarily oxidative competence, can improve body composition and systemic metabolism. We review here recent advances in our understanding of the signaling and transcriptional regulatory pathways of this strategy and review new evidence obtained from mice and humans that supports the notion that increasing muscle mass and glycolytic capacity may effectively counter insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
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