Examine Database: Resistance Training

Health Condition/Goal	Health Outcome	Evidence
Muscle Size & Strength	5 outcomes	113 Studies
Type 2 Diabetes	10 outcomes	10 Studies
General Cardiovascular Health	12 outcomes	36 Studies
Depression	1 outcome	11 Studies
Fibromyalgia	2 outcomes	1 Study
Migraine Headache	1 outcome	1 Study
Obesity	10 outcomes	47 Studies
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome	2 outcomes	1 Study
Sarcopenia	3 outcomes	5 Studies
Body Composition	7 outcomes	6 Studies
Bone Health	5 outcomes	3 Studies
Breast Cancer	1 outcome	1 Study
Immune Health	3 outcomes	1 Study
Osteopenia	3 outcomes	6 Studies
Healthy Muscle Aging	6 outcomes	8 Studies

Muscle Size & Strength

5 outcomes

Type 2 Diabetes

10 outcomes

General Cardiovascular Health

12 outcomes

1 outcome

2 outcomes

1 outcome

10 outcomes

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

2 outcomes

3 outcomes

7 outcomes

5 outcomes

1 outcome

3 outcomes

3 outcomes

6 outcomes

Muscle Size & Strength

Type 2 Diabetes

General Cardiovascular Health

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Research FeedRead all studies

Optimizing chest day: Should you pair it with biceps or triceps?

In this 8-week randomized controlled trial in 22 resistance-trained men (average age of 21), changes in muscle size and strength were not affected by which muscle groups were trained together in each workout.

Exercise may improve metabolic biomarkers in people with NAFLD and obesity

Exercise (especially whole-body vibration) may improve bone health in postmenopausal women

Fish oil did not boost gains in muscle size and strength in middle-aged women

Turning down the stress signal: Yoga reduces cortisol in stressed adults

Update History

Examine Database update
minor

The Examine Database was updated.
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Research written by

Thomas Solomon

Edited by

Conni Covington

Reviewed by

Giulia Guerrini

Examine Database References

Depression Symptoms - Tang L, Zhang L, Liu Y, Li Y, Yang L, Zou M, Yang H, Zhu L, Du R, Shen Y, Li H, Yang Y, Li ZOptimal dose and type of exercise to improve depressive symptoms in older adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.BMC Geriatr.(2024 Jun 7)
Muscle Mass - Benito PJ, Cupeiro R, Ramos-Campo DJ, Alcaraz PE, Rubio-Arias JÁA Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Resistance Training on Whole-Body Muscle Growth in Healthy Adult Males.Int J Environ Res Public Health.(2020 Feb 17)
Muscle Mass - Bloch-Ibenfeldt M, Theil Gates A, Karlog K, Demnitz N, Kjaer M, Boraxbekk CJHeavy resistance training at retirement age induces 4-year lasting beneficial effects in muscle strength: a long-term follow-up of an RCT.BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med.(2024)
Muscle Mass - Ron Borde, Tibor Hortobágyi, Urs GranacherDose-Response Relationships of Resistance Training in Healthy Old Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisSports Med.(2015 Dec)
Muscle Mass - Mark D Peterson, Ananda Sen, Paul M GordonInfluence of resistance exercise on lean body mass in aging adults: a meta-analysisMed Sci Sports Exerc.(2011 Feb)
Muscle Mass - Schoenfeld BJ, Wilson JM, Lowery RP, Krieger JWMuscular adaptations in low- versus high-load resistance training: A meta-analysis.Eur J Sport Sci.(2016)
Strength - Stephanie J Morris, Jon L Oliver, Jason S Pedley, G Gregory Haff, Rhodri S LloydComparison of Weightlifting, Traditional Resistance Training and Plyometrics on Strength, Power and Speed: A Systematic Review with Meta-AnalysisSports Med.(2022 Jan 13)
Strength - Mark D Peterson, Matthew R Rhea, Ananda Sen, Paul M GordonResistance exercise for muscular strength in older adults: a meta-analysisAgeing Res Rev.(2010 Jul)
Strength - Cuthbert M, Haff GG, Arent SM, Ripley N, McMahon JJ, Evans M, Comfort PEffects of Variations in Resistance Training Frequency on Strength Development in Well-Trained Populations and Implications for In-Season Athlete Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Sports Med.(2021 Sep)
Insulin - Nasiri M, Monazzami A, Alavimilani S, Asemi ZModulation of hormonal, metabolic, inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in women with polycystic ovary syndrome following combined (resistant and endurance) training: a randomized controlled trail.BMC Endocr Disord.(2025 Jan 2)
C-Reactive Protein (CRP) - Nejatian Hoseinpour A, Bassami M, Ahmadizad S, Donath L, Setayesh S, Mirzaei M, Mohammad Rahimi GRThe influence of resistance training on inflammatory markers, body composition and functional capacity in healthy older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Arch Gerontol Geriatr.(2025 Dec 25)
Fibromyalgia Symptoms - Şevgin Ö, Buğday B, Aydoğan Baykara R, Günendi G, Akkurt B, Atasoy H, Dikmen Hoşbaş B, Akkurt MF, Karamancıoğlu BEfficacy of different exercises in women with fibromyalgia syndrome: a randomised controlled trial.Clin Exp Rheumatol.(2025 Feb 12)
Blood glucose - de Almeida JA, Batalha APDB, Santos CVO, Fontoura TS, Laterza MC, da Silva LPAcute effect of aerobic and resistance exercise on glycemia in individuals with type 2 diabetes: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Braz J Phys Ther.(2024 Dec 2)
Blood glucose - Liu R, Shi X, Zhang XThe effects of resistance training on glycemic control, cardiometabolic health, and body composition in middle-aged and older women with type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Maturitas.(2025 Oct)
Condition-Related Fatigue - Li Y, Zhang J, Hu D, Gao L, Huang TWhich specific modes of exercise training are most effective for breast related cancer fatigue? Network meta-analysis.Front Oncol.(2025)
Blood Pressure - Hu Z, Jiang S, Hu C, Shen B, Gu JThe effects of circuit-based resistance training on blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and body composition in community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Front Physiol.(2025)
Weight - Binmahfoz A, Dighriri A, Gray C, Gray SREffect of resistance exercise on body composition, muscle strength and cardiometabolic health during dietary weight loss in people living with overweight or obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med.(2025)
Body Fat - Hernandez-Martinez J, Branco BHM, Vasquez-Carrasco E, Cid-Calfucura I, Herrera-Valenzuela T, Guzmán-Muñoz E, Delgado-Floody P, Concha-Cisternas Y, Valdés-Badilla PEffects of Strength Training on Body Composition, Physical Performance, and Protein or Calcium Intake in Older People with Osteosarcopenia: A Meta-Analysis.Nutrients.(2025 Sep 2)
Migraine Severity - Xie J, Lin Y, Wang BEfficacy and optimal dosage of various exercises for migraine: a multilevel network and dose-response meta-analysis.PeerJ.(2025)

Resistance Training

Examine Database: Resistance Training

Research FeedRead all studies

Update History

Examine Database updateminor

Examine Database updateminor

The Examine Database was updated.minor

Examine Database References

Research FeedRead all studies

Examine Database References

Examine Database: Resistance Training

Examine Database update
minor

Examine Database update
minor

The Examine Database was updated.
minor