Effects of Strength Training on the Quality of Life of Older Adults with Sarcopenia: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objective: The objective of this systematic review is to analyze the effects of strength training on the quality of life (QoL) of older adults diagnosed with sarcopenia, contributing to a better understanding of the impact of this intervention on the physical and psychological well-being of this population. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. The search was conducted on the Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases, including studies published until 2025. Randomized controlled trials that applied strength training interventions in individuals aged 60 years or older with sarcopenia were included, evaluating QoL as the primary outcome. Data screening, extraction, and analysis were performed by two independent investigators. Results: Three studies from the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and China were included, with interventions ranging from 6 to 16 weeks. The results showed that strength training can improve the quality of life of older adults with sarcopenia (instruments: SarQoL, SF-36, WHOQOL-BREF), being more effective in high-intensity and supervised interventions. One of the studies revealed significant improvements (p < 0.001), while the others showed non-significant increases. Conclusions: Strength training proved to be a promising intervention for promoting improvements in the quality of life of older adults with sarcopenia, especially when performed at adequate intensity and with regular monitoring. However, further studies with larger samples, long-term follow-up, and standardization of QoL assessment tools are needed.