Effect of Exercise Training on Blood Pressure in 70− to 79-yr-old Men and Women

Men and women 70-79 yr of age (N = 49) were studied to assess the effect of 6 months of resistance or endurance exercise training on their blood pressure, hemodynamic parameters, and pressor hormone levels. Resistance training consisted of one set of 8-12 repetitions on ten Nautilus machines three times per week. The endurance training group progressed to training at 75-85% VO2max for 35-45 min three times per week for the last 2 months of training. No changes in body weight or estimated lean body mass occurred; however, the sum of seven skinfolds, as an index of percent body fat, decreased in both exercise groups. Upper and lower body strength increased with resistance training, while VO2max increased by 20% in the endurance training group. Blood pressure did not change with resistance training in individuals with normal or somewhat elevated blood pressures. Diastolic and mean blood pressure decreased significantly, by 5 and 4 mm Hg, with endurance training. Subjects with blood pressure greater than 140/90 reduced their systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure by 8, 9, and 8 mm Hg, respectively, with endurance exercise training. Cardiac output, peripheral vascular resistance, and plasma levels of angiotensin I and II and epi- and norepinephrine did not change in any of the groups. Thus, resistance exercise training does not adversely affect, or reduce, blood pressure, while endurance exercise training produces modest reductions in blood pressure in 70-79-yr-old individuals with somewhat elevated blood pressures

Interaction effect of green tea consumption and resistance training on office and ambulatory cardiovascular parameters in women with high‐normal/stage 1 hypertension

This study aimed to investigate the chronic effects of green tea (GT) extract and resistance training (RT) on ambulatory and office blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and rate‐pressure product (RPP) in a sample of Iranian women with high‐normal/stage 1 hypertension. Forty‐four middle‐aged sedentary women participated in this randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study. They were randomly assigned to one of four groups: GT and RT (GR, n = 11), RT (n = 10), GT (n = 10), or control (n = 13). Three weeks of GT consumption were followed by six weeks of the interaction with RT. GR and RT groups performed two circuits of RT at %50 of 1RM two days per week. RT and control groups also received placebo (maltodextrin) with the same timing. The changes of each variable from baseline to post‐intervention were compared between the groups using the ANOVA test, and effect size (ES) statistic was also calculated. In comparison with the control group, significant reductions were found for office systolic BP (SBP, 8%, ES = 1.22), and 24 h‐SBP (5%, ES = 1.2) in the RT group. However, GR group showed significant decreases in office SBP (10.5%, ES = 1.45), mean BP (8%, ES = 1.11), RPP (13%, ES = 1.47), 24 h‐SBP (5%, ES = 1.21), and 24 h‐RPP (10%, ES = 1.15). The interaction of regular RT and GT consumption seems to induce more beneficial effects on some important parameters including MBP and RPP when compared to RT or GT alone

Cardiovascular Responses of 70-79 Year Old Men and Women to Endurance and Strength Training

This study determined the effects of endurance or resistance exercise training on maximal O2 consumption (VO2max) and the cardiovascular responses to exercise of 70- to 79-yr-old men and women. Healthy untrained subjects were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 12) or to an endurance (n = 16) or resistance training group (n = 19). Training consisted of three sessions per week for 26 wk. Resistance training consisted of one set of 8–12 repetitions on 10 Nautilus machines. Endurance training consisted of 40 min at 50–70% VO2max and at 75–85% VO2max for the first and last 13 wk of training, respectively. The endurance training group increased its VO2max by 16% during the first 13 wk of training and by a total of 22% after 26 wk of training; this group also increased its maximal O2 pulse, systolic blood pressure, and ventilation, and decreased its heart rate and perceived exertion during submaximal exercise. The resistance training group did not elicit significant changes in VO2max or in other maximal or submaximal cardiovascular responses despite eliciting 9 and 18% increases in lower and upper body strength, respectively. Thus healthy men and women in their 70s can respond to prolonged endurance exercise training with adaptations similar to those of younger individuals. Resistance training in older individuals has no effect on cardiovascular responses to submaximal or maximal treadmill exercise