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Review
. 2025 Oct 12:102917.
doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2025.102917. Online ahead of print.

Dose-response relationship of resistance training and the effects on circulating biomarkers of inflammation or neuroplasticity in older adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Orgesa Qipo  1 , Guoda Gajauskaitė  2 , Wouter A J Vints  3 , Oron Levin  4 , Nerijus Masiulis  5 , Ivan Bautmans  6
Affiliations
Review

Dose-response relationship of resistance training and the effects on circulating biomarkers of inflammation or neuroplasticity in older adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Orgesa Qipo et al. Ageing Res Rev. .

Abstract

Resistance Training (RT) is considered a promising intervention to counteract inflammation and cognitive decline. However, the relationship between RT dose (training duration, frequency, intensity, volume, rest period) and RT-induced changes in circulating biomarkers of inflammation and neuroplasticity remains unclear. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the overall and dose-response effects of RT on circulating biomarkers of inflammation and neuroplasticity in older adults. Electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus) were systematically screened for relevant studies. The search identified 8306 articles, of which 36 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. Effect sizes (ES) were calculated, and a meta-analysis (RT-effects) and meta-regression (dose-response) were performed when possible. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias (ROB) 2.0 tool. Meta-analysis showed that RT significantly increased neuroplasticity biomarkers including IGF-1, BDNF, and FGF-21 (ES=0.51, 95%CI [0.19, 0.84], p=0.002). Greater improvements were observed with longer training periods (≥20 weeks), a higher number of exercises (≥8), higher weekly training volume and total training program volume, and shorter rest in between exercises (90-120seconds). Additionally, RT significantly reduced pro-inflammatory biomarkers including TNF-α, CAF, IL-6, IL-1β, KYN and CRP (ES=-0.66, 95%CI [-0.80, -0.52], p<0.001)), with more pronounced effects seen with a higher frequency (at least 3 times per week) and a higher intensity (≥70% 1RM). Although RT also increased anti-inflammatory biomarkers (IL-10, IL-13, and IL-4, ES=0.75 95%CI [0.45, 1.04], p<0.001) the limited number of studies prevented a meta-regression analysis to determine a significant dose-response relationship. These findings demonstrate that RT can significantly improve circulating biomarkers of neuroplasticity and inflammation and highlight key dose-response relationships critical for optimizing RT programs.

Keywords: Aged; Inflammation; Meta-analysis; Neuroplasticity; Resistance training; Systematic review.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Ivan Bautmans reports financial support was provided by Research Foundation Flanders. Ivan Bautmans reports financial support was provided by Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Ivan Bautmans reports financial support was provided by UZ Brussel. Nerijus Masiulis reports financial support was provided by Research Council of Lithuania. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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