Key result
Low-load exercise with blood flow restriction shows no difference in acute endocrine responses versus high-load exercise.
Why the study?
Does low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction produce different acute endocrine responses compared to traditional high-load resistance exercise in resistance-trained men?
RCT (n=12)
Randomized crossover
Does low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction produce different acute endocrine responses compared to traditional high-load resistance exercise in resistance-trained men?
p-value: p=>0.05
Low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction elicits similar acute endocrine responses to traditional high-load resistance exercise in trained men.
Supports LL-BFR substitution for high-load training without endocrine concerns; confirms equivalence in resistance-trained men.
The present study compared acute testosterone (T), cortisol (C), epinephrine (EPI), norepinephrine (NE), and 22 kDa growth hormone (GH‐22 kDa) responses following low‐load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction (LL‐BFR) and traditional high‐load resistance exercise (HL‐RE). Twelve resistance‐trained men performed bouts of LL‐BFR (30%1RM) and HL‐RE (70%1RM), each consisting of four sets of bilateral seated leg extensions taken to momentary task failure with 60 s rest periods. A randomized crossover design was used with time of day matched within‐subjects. Upon arrival between 1200 and 1800, 24 h dietary recalls were performed with post‐exercise blood samples obtained within 60 s (IP) and 5 min post‐exercise (+5 min) via intravenous cannulation. Greater total repetitions ( d = 2.37, p < 0.001) and less volume‐load ( d = 2.86, p < 0.001) were performed during LL‐BFR. No Condition × Time interaction effects were found for any hormonal analyte measured ( p > 0.05). Both LL‐BFR and HL‐RE elevate the potent β 2 adrenergic receptor (β 2 AR) agonist EPI (IP: 1.29 ± 0.44 and 1.35 ± 0.60 nmol·L −1 , respectively), and the androgenic steroid T (+5 min: 27.4 ± 12.9 and 29.0 ± 14.3 nmol·L −1 , respectively). Thus, acute skeletal muscle β 2 AR phosphorylation may be comparable between conditions. When lower resistance exercise intensities (e.g., 30% 1RM) are desired, athletes may perform LL‐BFR in place of HL‐RE and experience no statistical difference in acute endocrine responses.
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Eserhaut et al. (2025) conducted an RCT in Healthy volunteers (n=12). Low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction (LL-BFR) vs. Traditional high-load resistance exercise (HL-RE) at 70% 1RM was evaluated on Acute endocrine responses (testosterone, cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and GH-22 kDa) (p=>0.05). Low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction produced no statistical difference in acute endocrine responses compared to traditional high-load resistance exercise (p>0.05).
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