Effects of repeated yearly exposure to exercise-training on blood pressure and metabolic syndrome evolution

To study if repeated yearly training programs consolidate the transient blood pressure (BP) improvements of one exercise program into durable adaptations.

Obese middle-age individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS) underwent high-intensity aerobic interval training during 16 weeks (November to mid-March) in 3 consecutive years [training group (TRAIN); N = 23]. Evolution of MetS components was compared with a matched-group that remained sedentary [control group (CONT); N = 26].

At the end of the first training program (0-4 months), TRAIN lowered systolic arterial pressure, blood glucose, waist circumference and MetS Z-score below CONT (-8.5 ± 2.5 mmHg; -19.9 ± 2.6 mg/dl; -3.8 ± 0.1 cm and -0.3 ± 0.1, respectively, all P < 0.05). With detraining (month 4-12) TRAIN adaptations relapsed to the levels of baseline (month 0) except for BP. A second exercise program (month 12-16) lowered blood glucose and waist circumference below CONT (-19.0 ± 2.0 mg/dl; -4.1 ± 0.1 cm). After detraining (month 16-24) BP, blood glucose and Z-score started below CONT values (-6.8 ± 0.9 mmHg; -24.6 ± 2.5 mg/dl and -0.4 ± 0.05, respectively, all P < 0.05) and those differences enlarged with the last training program (month 24-28). Ten-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk estimation increased only in CONT (8.6 ± 1.1-10.1 ± 1.3%; year 2-3; P < 0.05).

At least two consecutive years of 4-month aerobic interval training are required to chronically improve MetS (Z-score). The chronic effect is mediated by BP that does not fully return to pretraining values allowing a cumulative improvement. On the other hand, sedentarism in MetS patients during 3 years increases their predicted atherosclerotic diseases risk. CLINICALTRIALS.

NCT03019796.