The 73 men in the control group were not instructed or supervised in exercise during the 12-week study period, though they were given the same type of advice after the study.

When the study began, men in both groups had reported similar levels of fatigue and quality of life. After the 12 weeks, however, men who were doing resistance exercises felt less fatigued and reported a better quality of life than men in the control group.

Men who trained with weights also increased their strength over the study period, while men who didn’t actually lost strength in their arms and legs. Neither group improved in terms of body fat or body mass index (BMI)

NO INCREASE IN TESTOSTERONE

The men in the study achieved these physical improvements without any apparent negative side effects. The exercise program did not significantly change levels of testosterone or PSA (prostate-specific antigen, a marker of prostate cancer) in their blood.

Despite this limitation, this type of study provides important information for doctors who treat cancer patients, write oncologists Daniel Rayson and Leonard Reyno, of the QEII Cancer Care Program in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in an accompanying editorial.

However, the researchers did not check the men for anemia, a common side effect of prostate cancer, either before or after the study. If some of the men were anemic, that could have accounted for some of their fatigue.

“As clinicians, we are often asked ‘What more can I do to improve my overall health,’” they write. This study “provides important guidance to cancer care clinicians” about the benefits of exercise for prostate cancer patients, they say.

The editorialists conclude that more programs like the one studied should be developed to help cancer patients feel better during and after treatment.

Weight training for older adults. Remember that before starting any kind of exercise program, check with your doctor about recommendations or limitations such as a heart condition, bone or joint problems, or prescription drugs that might affect your ability to work out.

We know that aging means losing muscle mass, which brings on a reduction in strength, risk of falls and impaired functional ability.

Research now shows that aerobic circuit-training and exercise programs can help older men and women more easily perform basic tasks of daily living.

Learn the techniques and principles of exercise, then practice for mastery. Watch a fitness professional demonstrate the technique or machine, then work on it while he/she watches you and comments on body alignment, breathing, and other principles. Self-efficacy will build as you practice performing the exercise correctly.

Most importantly, the results show that single-set regimens remain an effective option for improving muscular fitness in long-term recreational weightlifters.

Renewed interest in the effects of creatine use by a large number of American athletes from the professional level on down has led to a number of studies, many of them producing conflicting findings.