Researchers in Brazil have shown that strength training at moderate to vigorous intensity two to three times per week can effectively reduce arterial hypertension or high blood pressure.
The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Giovana Rampazzo Teixeira, a professor at São Paulo State University (UNESP), led the research.
The team performed a Cochrane meta-analysis on over 21,000 scientific articles to understand the effects of factors like age, training dose-response, load, volume, and frequency on blood pressure.
Cardiovascular diseases are the primary cause of death globally, and high blood pressure is responsible for 13.8% of these deaths.
High blood pressure is diagnosed when systolic blood pressure is above 140 mmHg and/or diastolic pressure is over 90 mmHg.
Factors such as an unhealthy diet, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, and a sedentary lifestyle can contribute to this condition.
Although strength training is known to be a therapeutic option for hypertension, there was a lack of clarity about the most effective protocols.
The researchers in this study focused on the volume and intensity needed for a significant reduction in blood pressure.
They found that an average of eight to ten weeks of strength training led to a decrease of 10 mmHg in systolic pressure and 4.79 mmHg in diastolic pressure.
The blood pressure remained lower for about 14 weeks after the training ended.
The results of the meta-analysis showed that strength training was most effective in lowering blood pressure when practiced at a moderate to vigorous load intensity at least twice per week for a minimum of eight weeks.
The most effective load was defined as more than 60% of the maximum weight that could be lifted just once, known as the one-repetition maximum.
According to the study, future research should explore the molecular mediators responsible for the reduction in blood pressure during strength training.
The benefits of strength training include an increase in heart rate, production of nitrous oxide which promotes vasodilation, and improved blood flow.
In the long term, it can lead to a lower resting heart rate, lower blood pressure, improved heart efficiency, and a higher maximum oxygen consumption rate during vigorous exercise, all of which are beneficial for cardiovascular health.
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The study was published in Scientific Reports.
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