Serious adverse events were rare , and no serious events were reported to be directly related to the exercise programme .
This review provides evidence that PRT is an effective intervention for improving physical functioning in  older people , including improving strength and the performance of some simple and complex activities .
BACKGROUND Muscle weakness in old age is associated with physical function decline .
Progressive resistance strength training ( PRT ) exercises are design ed to increase strength .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of PRT on older people and identify adverse events .
The effect of recombinant human growth hormone and resistance training on IGF-I mRNA expression in the muscles of elderly men.
The expression of two isoforms of insulin-like growth factor-I ( IGF-I ) : mechano growth factor ( MGF ) and IGF-IEa were studied in muscle in response to growth hormone ( GH ) administration with and without resistance training in healthy elderly men . A third isoform , IGF-IEb was also investigated in response to resistance training only . The subjects ( age 74 + /- 1 years , mean + /- S.E.M ) were assigned to either resistance training with placebo , resistance training combined with GH administration or GH administration alone . Real-time  quantitative RT-PCR was used to determine mRNA levels in biopsies from the vastus lateralis muscle at baseline , after 5 and 12 weeks in the three groups . GH administration did not change MGF mRNA at 5 weeks , but significantly increased IGF-IEa mRNA ( 237 % ) . After 12 weeks , MGF mRNA was significantly increased ( 80 % ) compared to baseline . Five weeks of resistance training significantly increased the mRNA expression of MGF ( 163 % ) , IGF-IEa ( 68 % ) and IGF-IEb ( 75 % ) . No further changes were observed after 12 weeks . However , after 5 weeks of training combined with GH treatment , MGF mRNA increased significantly ( 456 % ) and IGF-IEa mRNA by ( 167 % ) . No further significant changes were noted at 12 weeks . The data suggest that when mechanical loading in the form of resistance training is combined with GH , MGF mRNA levels are enhanced . This may reflect an overall up-regulation of transcription of the IGF-I gene prior to splicing
Serious adverse events were rare , and no serious events were reported to be directly related to the exercise programme .
This review provides evidence that PRT is an effective intervention for improving physical functioning in  older people , including improving strength and the performance of some simple and complex activities .
BACKGROUND Muscle weakness in old age is associated with physical function decline .
Progressive resistance strength training ( PRT ) exercises are design ed to increase strength .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of PRT on older people and identify adverse events .