Strength training conducted with moderate to vigorous intensity a couple of times a week can significantly mitigate arterial hypertension (high blood pressure), according to a study from São Paulo State University (UNESP) in Brazil.
The research was published in the journal Scientific Reports and led by Giovana Rampazzo Teixeira, a professor at UNESP.
The Power of Strength Training
While the beneficial effects of aerobic exercise on blood pressure are well-documented, research on the impacts of strength exercise on hypertension has been scant.
In this new study, the team analyzed more than 21,000 scientific articles and conducted a Cochrane meta-analysis to shed light on the effects of variables such as age, training dose-response, load, volume, and frequency.
High blood pressure is a leading contributor to cardiovascular diseases and is diagnosed when systolic blood pressure exceeds 140 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and/or diastolic pressure exceeds 90 mmHg.
Strength training has been recognized as a therapeutic option, but the exact protocols for achieving the best outcomes have remained unclear.
Understanding the Effectiveness of Strength Training
The study’s sample comprised 253 hypertensive subjects with a mean age of about 60 years. The meta-analysis focused on the responses to strength training for eight weeks or longer.
“We were interested above all in the volume and intensity found sufficient to achieve a significant blood pressure reduction.
On average, eight to ten weeks of strength training led to a reduction of 10 mmHg in systolic pressure and 4.79 mmHg in diastolic pressure,” said Teixeira.
The findings revealed that around the twentieth training session, effective results began to emerge. The reduced blood pressure levels were maintained for approximately 14 weeks after training concluded.
Strength Training as a Non-pharmacological Intervention
Teixeira emphasized the potential of strength training as a non-pharmacological intervention in clinical practice and fitness centers for treating high blood pressure. Knowledge about the key variables and the individual’s goals is crucial.
Although strength training was only recently included in Brazilian guidelines on managing arterial hypertension, Teixeira highlighted the need for more robust research.
Identifying Key Variables for Successful Strength Training
The systematic review evaluated 21,132 scientific articles, identifying 14 as relevant for inclusion in the study.
The team discovered that strength training was most successful in lowering blood pressure when practiced with a moderate to vigorous load intensity, at least twice per week, and for a minimum of eight weeks.
For future studies, Teixeira suggested that research should delve into the cellular and molecular mechanisms that contribute to lower blood pressure as a result of strength training.
Current knowledge indicates that it boosts heart rate, produces nitrous oxide (which promotes vasodilation), and enhances blood flow, leading to long-term improvements such as lower resting heart rate, lower blood pressure, improved heart efficiency, and higher VO2max.
The study’s limitations included the use of patients who took antihypertensive medication in 11 out of the 14 studies, and the combination of men and women in the same group in some studies, which prevented a gender-sensitive analysis of strength training’s effects.
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The study was published in Scientific Reports.
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