What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: RCT. Population: Healthy (n=39). Intervention: Low-intensity blood flow restriction (LI-BFR) endurance training vs. High-intensity training, low-intensity training, and non-exercising control. Primary outcome: Aerobic capacity (VO2max), hemodynamics, and arterial stiffness (p=<0.05).

What does this research mean for the field?

Low-intensity endurance training with blood flow restriction significantly improves aerobic capacity and decreases peripheral arterial stiffness in healthy young males. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

July 1, 2021

The impact of low-intensity blood flow restriction endurance training on aerobic capacity, hemodynamics, and arterial stiffness

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

Low-intensity blood flow restriction endurance training significantly increased VO2max compared to control (P<0.05) and decreased femoral-tibial pulse wave velocity.

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

Low-intensity endurance training with blood flow restriction significantly improves aerobic capacity and decreases peripheral arterial stiffness in healthy young males. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

Key Result

Low-intensity blood flow restriction endurance training significantly increased VO2max compared to control (P<0.05) and decreased femoral-tibial pulse wave velocity.

Study Design

Type

RCT (n=39)

Randomization

Randomly assigned

Structured PICO

Does low-intensity blood flow restriction endurance training improve aerobic capacity, hemodynamics, and arterial stiffness in healthy young males?

Population

39 healthy young recreationally active males

Intervention

Low-intensity blood flow restriction (BFR) endurance training (30-40% of VO2 reserve) on a treadmill for 6 weeks

Comparator

High-intensity training (60-70% VO2 reserve), low-intensity training (30-40% VO2 reserve), and non-exercising control

Outcome

Aerobic capacity (VO2max), hemodynamics (resting heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure), and arterial stiffness (carotid-radial, carotid-femoral, and femoral-tibial pulse wave velocity) before and after 6-week trainingsurrogate

Low-intensity endurance training with blood flow restriction over 6 weeks improves aerobic capacity and reduces peripheral arterial stiffness in healthy young males.

Main Result

p-value: p=<0.05

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of short-term low-intensity blood flow restriction (BFR) endurance training (ET) programs on measures of aerobic capacity, hemodynamics, and arterial stiffness in healthy young males. METHODS: Thirty-nine healthy young recreationally active males participated in this short-term training study. They were randomly assigned to a high-intensity (HI; N.=11; trained at 60-70% of VO2 reserve VO2R), low-intensity (LI; N.=8; trained at 30-40% of VO2R), low-intensity with BFR (LI-BFR; N.=10; trained at 30-40% of VO2R with BFR) or a non-exercising control group (N.=10). The exercising subjects completed a 6-wk training protocol on a treadmill. Assessment of aerobic capacity (VO2max), hemodynamics and arterial stiffness were done before and after training. RESULTS: Statistical analyses revealed a significant condition main effect (P2max, indicating significant increase (P2max in LI-BFR group compared to control. There were no significant changes for resting heart rate (RHR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), carotid-radial pulse wave velocity (PWV), and carotid-femoral PWV (P>0.05). However, femoral-tibial PWV decreased significantly (P<0.05) from baseline to post-training. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the application of BFR during ET may cause faster and/or greater adaptations in one or more physiological systems resulting in improved cardiorespiratory fitness.

Bookmark