Comparing Macro- and Microvascular Responses to Acute Resistance Exercise with and Without Blood Flow Restriction in Young and Older Adults: a Parallel Group Crossover Randomized Trial

Status: Recruiting
Location: See all (2) locations...
Intervention Type: Other
Study Type: Interventional
Study Phase: Not Applicable
SUMMARY

Aging leads to declines in functional capacity and effort tolerance. Muscle strength remains stable from ages 25 to 50 but declines significantly after age 60, affecting activities like stair climbing and walking, reducing autonomy and independence. While muscle atrophy is a significant factor, macrovascular endothelial dysfunction also impairs skeletal muscle performance in older adults. Nitric oxide (NO), produced by endothelial cells, regulates vascular homeostasis and contractile function. NO enhances muscle fiber shortening velocity, reduces twitch time-to-peak contraction, and increases the rate of force development. Aging-related endothelial dysfunction reduces NO availability, leading to reduced muscle mass and sarcopenia via decreased skeletal muscle perfusion. Increased arterial stiffness disrupts ventricular-vascular coupling, reducing cardiac output and contributing to age-related muscle weakness. Additionally, microvascular function decreases with age, contributing to altered physical work perception and reduced function. Low capillary density is linked to reduced walking speed in older adults and reduced walking time in peripheral arterial disease patients, supporting the microvasculature\'s role in functional performance. Reduced muscle mass also increases central hemodynamic load, impacting arterial stiffness and cardiac function. Resistance training (RT) is recommended to mitigate aging effects like loss of strength and muscle mass and reduce cardiovascular risk and all-cause mortality. Guidelines suggest 1-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions at 60-80% of the individual\'s repetition maximum (1RM), performed at least twice a week. However, older adults with osteoarthritis and cardiovascular conditions often cannot tolerate high mechanical stress and are prescribed lower intensity-resistance training (LIRT) at 40-50% of 1RM, typically yielding negligible muscle hypertrophy or strength gains. Blood flow restriction (BFR) training, which applies pressure bands to restrict blood flow during LIRT, increases muscle volume and strength. While BFR shows promise, it can cause acute increases in arterial stiffness and blood pressure in older adults, necessitating caution in its prescription. This study aims to compare macrovascular and microvascular function responses to acute resistance exercise with and without BFR in young and older adults. We hypothesize that older adults will show a more pronounced increase in macrovascular and microvascular dysfunction following resistance exercise compared to younger participants. In this parallel group randomized controlled trial, participants will be randomly assigned to either LIRT-BFR or high-intensity resistance training (HIRT). Each participant will attend three sessions: a familiarization session and two experimental sessions involving the randomized exercise conditions. Measurements of brachial blood pressure, heart rate, and macrovascular and microvascular function will be taken at rest and during recovery periods post-exercise.

Eligibility
Participation Requirements
Sex: All
Minimum Age: 18
Healthy Volunteers: t
View:

• Aged between 18-30 years and those over 60 years.

Locations
Other Locations
Portugal
Egas Moniz School of Health and Science
NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Almada
Egas Moniz School of Health and Science
RECRUITING
Almada
Contact Information
Primary
Xavier Melo, PhD
xmelo@egasmoniz.edu.pt
+351 212946700
Time Frame
Start Date: 2024-10
Estimated Completion Date: 2025-07
Participants
Target number of participants: 52
Treatments
Experimental: Resistance training with blood flow restriction
Active_comparator: Resistance training without blood flow restriction
No_intervention: No exercise or blood flow restriction
Sponsors
Leads: Egas Moniz - Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, CRL

This content was sourced from clinicaltrials.gov