Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Got High Blood Pressure? Get Off the Treadmill and Lift Weights
















In Hypertension, Strong Men Live Longer

"Even after controlling for cardiorespiratory fitness level and other potential confounders, men in the upper third of muscle strength were 34% less likely to die during an average follow-up of about 18 years (HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.98), according to Enrique Artero, PhD, of the University of Granada in Spain, and colleagues."

"The men with the greatest reduction in mortality risk were those who had the most muscular strength and high fitness (HR 0.49, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.82), the researchers reported in the May 3 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology."

As the study notes, these results were attributed to muscular strength above cardiorespiratory fitness.
"Although additional adjustment for cardiorespiratory fitness rendered the trend nonsignificant, men with the most muscular strength still had a significantly lower risk of death than those with the least (HR 0.66)."


Another feather in the cap of muscle heads everywhere. I am thinking most of the men in the study were trained at sub maximal levels. Can the results be even better if training intensity was greater? Either way, cardiac rehab could learn from this study and have those patients back off on the Cardio and start hitting the weights!


Dr. David Marcon
Work Smarter, Not Harder!
Cincinnati, Ohio
drdavidmarcon.com

1 comment:

  1. I seriously doubt results would be better if participants lifted heavier weights. I was visiting someone in an ICU unit once when a 29yo bodybuilder was wheeled in, having blown out his brain stem while lifting. I take a "cardio approach" to weights; I find a weight that I can manage 5 set of 12 reps. By the end of each set, my heart and lungs are pumping pretty good, and I'm getting stronger. In my view, it's much better exercise than 3 sets of 5 reps with heavier weights (I've spent plenty of time on that approach).

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