Download PDF
Int J Sports Med 2013; 34(09): 806-813
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1331185
Training & Testing
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Cardiovascular Adaptations to Resistance Training in Elderly Postmenopausal Women

A. M. Gerage
1   Departement of Physical Education, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
3   Metabolism, Nutrition and Exercise Laboratory, Londrina State University, Londrina, Brazil
,
C.L. M. Forjaz
2   School of Physical Education and Sport, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
,
M. A. Nascimento
3   Metabolism, Nutrition and Exercise Laboratory, Londrina State University, Londrina, Brazil
,
R.S. B. Januário
4   Center of Biological and Health Sciences, North University of Paraná, Londrina, Brazil
,
M. D. Polito
5   Physical Education and Sport Center, Londrina State University, Londrina, Brazil
,
E. S. Cyrino
3   Metabolism, Nutrition and Exercise Laboratory, Londrina State University, Londrina, Brazil
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History



accepted after revision 23 October 2012

Publication Date:
04 March 2013 (online)

Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of resistance training on resting blood pressure and heart rate variability in elderly postmenopausal women. 29 untrained, non-hypertensive elderly women were randomly assigned to 2 groups: an intervention group (n=15, 65.5±5.0 years, 57.3±6.5 kg, 156.7±5.1 cm) that underwent a supervised resistance training program (8 exercises, 2 sets, 10–15 repetitions, 3 times/week) or a control group (n=14, 66.2±4.1 years, 61.1±11.7 kg, 157.5±7.1 cm) that participated in a supervised stretching program (25–30 min/session, 2 times/week). Resting auscultatory blood pressure, heart rate variability, evaluated from short recordings in a seated position, and maximal dynamic strength (1-RM test) were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks. A group x time ANOVA revealed that muscular strength increased significantly in the resistance training group (+ 10.2% for bench press and +12.7% for leg extension, P<0.05). Systolic blood pressure was reduced significantly in the resistance training group from pre- to post-intervention period (− 5 mmHg; P<0.05), while no significant effect was noted for diastolic blood pressure and heart rate variability indexes (P>0.05). None of these variables changed in the control group throughout the study. In conclusion, a supervised resistance training program improved muscular strength and reduced systolic blood pressure without affecting diastolic blood pressure and heart rate variability in elderly postmenopausal women.

Key words

muscular strength - blood pressure - heart rate variability - aging
 

  • References

  • 1 American College of Sports Medicine . Position stand: exercise and hypertension. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2004; 36: 533-553
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 American College of Sports Medicine . Position stand: progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2009; 41: 687-708
    Google Scholar
  • 3 American College of Sports Medicine . Position stands: Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: guidance for prescribing exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2011; 43: 1334-1359
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Anderson Jr GH. Effect of age on hypertension: analysis of over 4 800 referred hypertensive patients. Saudi J Kidney Dis Transplant 1999; 10: 286-297
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Appel LJ, Brands MW, Daniels SR, Karanja N, Elmer PJ, Sacks FM. Dietary approaches to prevent and treat hypertension. A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Hypertension 2006; 47: 296-308
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Bea JW, Cussler EC, Going SB, Blew RM, Metcalfe LL, Lohman TG. Resistance training predicts 6-yr body composition change in postmenopausal women. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2010; 42: 1286-1295
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Bloomfield DM, Magnano A, Bigger Jr JT, Rivadeneira H, Parides M, Steinman RC. Comparison of spontaneous vs. metronome-guided breathing on assessment of vagal modulation using RR variability. Am J Physiol 2001; 280: H1145-H1150
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Boullosa DA, Abreu L, Tuimil JL, Leicht AS. Impact of a soccer match on the cardiac autonomic control of referees. Eur J Appl Physiol 2012; 112: 2233-2242
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Buchheit M, Millet GP, Parisy A, Pourchez S, Laursen PB, Ahmaidi S. Supramaximal training and postexercise parasympathetic reactivation in adolescents. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2008; 40: 362-371
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Carter JR, Ray CA, Downs EM, Cooke WH. Strength training reduces arterial blood pressure but not sympathetic neural activity in young normotensive subjects. J Appl Physiol 2003; 94: 2212-2216
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Chobanian AV, Bakris GL, Black HR, Cushman WC, Green LA, Izzo Jr JL, Jones DW, Materson BJ, Oparil S, Wright Jr JT, Roccella EJ. Seventh report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. Hypertension 2003; 42: 1206-1252
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Cohen J. Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 1988
    Google Scholar
  • 13 Collins R, Peto R, MacMahon S, Hebert P, Fiebach NH, Eberlein KA, Godwin J, Qizilbash N, Taylor JO, Hennekens CH. Blood pressure, stroke, and coronary heart disease. Part 2, Short-term reductions in blood pressure: overview of randomised drug trials in their epidemiological context. Lancet 1990; 335: 827-838
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Cononie CC, Graves JE, Pollock ML, Phillips MI, Sumners C, Hagberg JM. Effect of exercise training on blood pressure in 70- to 79-yr-old men and women. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1991; 23: 505-511
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Cooke WH, Carter JR. Strength training does not affect vagal-cardiac control or cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity in young healthy subjects. Eur J Appl Physiol 2005; 93: 719-725
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Cooper RS, Wolf-Maier K, Luke A, Adeyemo A, Banegas JR, Forrester T, Giampaoli S, Joffres M, Kastarinen M, Primatesta P, Stegmayr B, Thamm M. An international comparative study of blood pressure in populations of European vs. African descent. BMC Med 2005; 3: 2
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Cornelissen VA, Goetschalckx K, Verheyden B, Aubert AE, Arnout J, Persu A, Rademakers F, Fagard RH. Effect of endurance training on blood pressure regulation, biomarkers and the heart in subjects at a higher age. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2011; 21: 526-534
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Cortez-Cooper MY, DeVan AE, Anton MM, Farrar RP, Beckwith KA, Todd JS, Tanaka H. Effects of high intensity resistance training on arterial stiffness and wave reflection in women. Am J Hypertens 2005; 18: 930-934
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Forte R, De Vito G, Figura F. Effects of dynamics resistance training on heart rate variability in healthy older women. Eur J Appl Physiol 2003; 89: 85-89
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Gamelin FX, Berthoin S, Bosquet L. Validity of the Polar S810 heart rate monitor to measure R–R intervals at rest. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2006; 38: 887-893
    Google Scholar
  • 21 Gordon CC, Chumlea WC, Roche AF. Stature, recumbent length, and weight. In: Lohman TG, Roche AF, Martorell R. (eds.). Anthropometric Standardizing Reference Manual. Champaign: Human Kinetics Books; 1988: 3-8
    Google Scholar
  • 22 Harriss DJ, Atkinson G. Update – ethical standards in sport and exercise science research. Int J Sports Med 2011; 32: 819-821
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 23 Hynynen E, Konttinen N, Kinnunen U, Kyröläinen H, Rusko H. The incidence of stress symptoms and heart rate variability during sleep and orthostatic test. Eur J Appl Physiol 2011; 111: 733-741
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 24 Kryger AI, Andersen JL. Resistance training in the oldest old: consequences for muscle strength, fiber types, fiber size and MHC isoforms. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2007; 17: 422-430
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 25 Martins D, Nelson K, Pan D, Tareen N, Norris K. The effect of gender on age-related blood pressure changes and the prevalence of isolated systolic hypertension among older adults: data from NHANES III. J Gend Specif Med 2001; 4: 10-13
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 Melo RC, Santos MD, Silva E, Quitério RJ, Moreno MA, Reis MS, Verzola IA, Oliveira L, Martins LE, Gallo-Junior L, Catai AM. Effects of age and physical activity on the autonomic control of heart rate in healthy men. Braz J Med Biol Res 2005; 38: 1331-1338
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 27 Melo RC, Quitério RJ, Takahashi ACM, Silva E, Martins LEB, Catai AM. High eccentric strength training reduces heart rate variability in healthy older men. Br J Sports Med 2008; 42: 59-63
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 28 Mueck-Weymann M, Janshoff G, Mueck H. Stretching increases heart rate variability in healthy athletes complaining about limited muscular flexibility. Clin Auton Res 2004; 14: 15-18
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 29 Nelson ME, Rejeski WJ, Blair SN, Duncan PW, Judge JO, King AC, Macera CA, Castaneda-Sceppa C. Physical activity and public health in older adults. Recommendation from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2007; 39: 1435-1445
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 30 Pagani M, Lombardi F, Guzzetti S, Rimoldi O, Furlan R, Pizzinelli P, Sandrone G, Malfatto G, Dell’Orto S, Piccaluga E.. Power spectral analysis of heart rate and arterial pressure variabilities as a marker of sympatho-vagal interaction in man and conscious dog. Circ Res 1986; 59: 178-193
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 31 Perini R, Fisher NM, Veicsteinas A, Pendergast DR. Aerobic training and cardiovascular responses at rest and during exercise in older men and women. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2002; 34: 700-708
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 32 Rakobowchuk M, McGowan CL, de Groot PC, Hartman JW, Phillips SM, MacDonald MJ. Endothelial function of young healthy males following whole body resistance training. J Appl Physiol 2005; 98: 2185-2190
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 33 Ritti-Dias RM, Cyrino ES, Salvador EP, Soares-Caldeira LF, Nakamura FY, Papst RR, Bruna N, Gurjão ALD. Influence of familiarization process on muscular strength assessment in 1-RM tests. Rev Bras Med Esporte 2005; 11: 39-42
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 34 Sallinen J, Fogelholm M, Volek JS, Kraemer WJ, Alen M, Häkkinen K. Effects of strength training and reduced training on functional performance and metabolic health indicators in middle-aged men. Int J Sports Med 2007; 28: 815-822
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 35 Santaella DF, Devesa CR, Rojo MR, Amato MB, Drager LF, Casali KR, Montano N, Lorenzi-Filho G. Yoga respiratory training improves respiratory function and cardiac sympathovagal balance in elderly subjects: a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open 2011; 24: 1-8
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 36 Schwartz RS, Hirth VA. The effects of endurance and resistance training on blood pressure. Int J Obes Relat Met Disord 1995; 19: S52-S57
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 37 Stewart KJ, Bacher AC, Turner KL, Fleg JL, Hees PS, Shapiro EP, Tayback M, Ouyang P. Effect of exercise on blood pressure in older persons: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Intern Med 2005; 165: 756-762
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 38 Taaffe DR, Galvão DA, Sharman JE, Coombes JE. Reduced central blood pressure in older adults following progressive resistance training. J Hum Hypertens 2007; 21: 96-98
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 39 Task Force of European Society of Cardiology and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology . Heart rate variability: standards of measurement, physiological interpretation, and clinical use. Circulation 1996; 93: 1043-1065
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 40 Taylor AC, McCartney N, Kamath MV, Wiley RL. Isometric training lowers resting blood pressure and modulates autonomic control. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2003; 35: 251-256
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 41 Terra DF, Mota MR, Rabelo HT, Bezerra LM, Lima RM, Ribeiro AG, Vinhal PH, Dias RM, Silva FM. Reduction of arterial pressure and double product at rest after resistance exercise training in elderly hypertensive women. Arq Bras Cardiol 2008; 91: 299-305
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 42 Tsuji H, Larson MG, Venditti Jr FJ, Manders ES, Evans JC, Feldman CL, Levy D. Impact of reduced heart rate variability on risk for cardiac events. The Framingham Heart Study. Circulation 1996; 94: 2850-2855
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 43 Van Hoof R, Macor F, Lijnen P, Staessen J, Thijs L, Vanhees L, Fagard R. Effect of strength training on blood pressure measured in various conditions in sedentary men. Int J Sports Med 1996; 17: 415-422
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 44 Vincent KR, Vincent HK, Braith RW, Bhatnagar V, Lowenthal DT. Strength training and hemodynamic responses to exercise. Am J Geriatr Cardiol 2003; 12: 97-106
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 45 Virtanen R, Jula A, Kuusela T, Helenius H, Voipio-Pulkki LM. Reduced heart rate variability in hypertension: associations with lifestyle factors and plasma renin activity. J Hum Hypertens 2003; 17: 171-179
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 46 Wiley RL, Dunn CL, Cox RH, Hueppchen NA, Scott MS. Isometric exercise training lowers resting blood pressure. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1992; 24: 749-754
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 47 Williams MA, Haskell WL, Ades PA, Amsterdam EA, Bittner V, Franklin BA, Gulanick M, Laing ST, Stewart KJ. Resistance exercise in individuals with and without cardiovascular disease: 2007 update: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association Council on Clinical Cardiology and Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism. Circulation 2007; 116: 572-584
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 48 Yamamoto Y, Hughson RL, Peterson JC. Autonomic control of heart rate during exercise studied by heart rate variability spectral analysis. J Appl Physiol 1991; 71: 1136-1142
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 49 Young FL, Leicht AS. Short-term stability of resting heart rate variability: influence of position and gender. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2011; 36: 210-218
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar