A recent meta-study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise has investigated whether strength training can lower blood pressure in individuals with hypertension. While medical guidelines typically recommend endurance training for those with high blood pressure, the study found that increased physical activity can reduce systolic blood pressure by 5 to 17 mm Hg and diastolic pressure by 2 to 10 mm Hg. However, the effects of strength training on blood pressure have been less studied. The study analyzed 14 randomized trials with a total of 253 participants, finding that strength training can reduce systolic blood pressure by an average of 9.52 mm Hg and diastolic pressure by 5.19 mm Hg. The effects were consistent across age groups, but required at least two to three weekly gym sessions with a minimum of 60% of one-repetition maximum weight.
Medical guidelines typically recommend endurance training for individuals with hypertension, but a recent meta-study has investigated the effects of strength training on blood pressure. The study analyzed 14 randomized trials with a total of 253 participants, finding that strength training can reduce systolic blood pressure by an average of 9.52 mm Hg and diastolic pressure by 5.19 mm Hg. The effects were consistent across age groups, but required at least two to three weekly gym sessions with a minimum of 60% of one-repetition maximum weight. The study also found that the effects of strength training on blood pressure are due to an increase in heart rate and the release of nitric oxide in the arterial endothelium, which widens blood vessels and optimizes tissue blood flow. While the effects of strength training on blood pressure are less studied than those of endurance training, the study suggests that strength training can be an effective way to reduce blood pressure in individuals with hypertension.
