New practice to increase muscle-mass in older men

Researchers have known for years that resistance exercise training can be one of the most effective ways to fight the debilitating muscle loss caused by aging. But many older people are unable to get the full benefits of such training in which muscles work against gravity or another force - weightlifting, for instance - because they suffer from conditions such as arthritis that prevent them from lifting enough weight to stimulate muscle growth.
Recently, researchers at University of Texas have determined that moderately and temporarily restricting the flow of blood through muscles - a practice adopted by bodybuilders who noticed that it made light weights feel heavier - can be combined with low-level resistance exercise training to produce muscle-mass increases in older men.

Exactly how restricting blood flow in the muscles generated these effects remains unknown. Whatever the mechanism, researchers think it’s an exciting potential new rehabilitation tool.