Surprisingly, much less research has focused on the mental health benefits of resistance training in women and men. Recently, O’Connor, Herring and Caravalho completed an extensive literature review on this topic, admitting only studies that met certain criteria for quality research. Highlights from their findings are summarized here.

Surprising as it is, the increase in heart and mortality risk observed in the Circulation study affected people who met exercise guidelines—and were independent of eating habits as well!