Resistance Training Increases Basal Limb Blood Flow and Vascular Conductance in Aging Humans

Age‐related reductions in basal limb blood flow and vascular conductance are associated with the metabolic syndrome, functional impairments, and osteoporosis. We tested the hypothesis that a strength training program would increase basal femoral blood flow in aging adults. Twenty‐six sedentary but healthy middle‐aged and older subjects were randomly assigned to either a whole‐body strength training intervention group (52±2 yr, 4 males, 9 females) or a control group (53±2 yr, 3 males, 10 females) that participated in a supervised stretching program. There were no significance differences in baseline blood pressure, cardiac output, basal femoral blood flow (via Doppler ultrasound), vascular conductance, and vascular resistance between the two groups. The strength training group underwent 3 supervised resistance training sessions per week for 13 weeks and increased maximal strength in all the major muscle groups tested (P<0.05). Whole‐body lean body mass increased (P<0.05) with strength training, but leg fat‐free mass did not. Basal femoral blood flow and vascular conductance increased 55–60% after strength training (both P<0.05). No such changes were observed in the control group. In both groups, there were no significant changes in brachial blood pressure, plasma endothelin‐1 and angiotensin II concentrations, femoral artery wall thickness, cardiac output, and systemic vascular resistance. Our results indicate that short‐term strength training increases basal femoral blood flow and vascular conductance in healthy middle‐aged and older adults.