Impact of higher resistance exercise and bathing habits on cardiovascular risks in older adults

This study investigated whether higher intensity of resistance exercise habit not only lead to greater muscle strength but also higher levels of hypertension and arterial stiffness, while these cardiovascular risks would be reduced by bathing habit in older adults. One hundred ninety-six older adults asked questionnaire about resistance exercise and bathing habits, along with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Long form to evaluate physical activity and aerobic exercise habits. Maximum knee extension strength (MVC), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) were measured in fall. Participants with resistance exercise habits (n = 34 of 196) were included in the further analysis, and an exploratory analysis was conducted on participants with resistance exercise habits but without aerobic exercise habits (n = 19 of 34). According to the exploratory analysis, MVC was moderately associated with exercise intensity regardless of bathing habits. Exercise intensity was significantly correlated with SBP (r = 0.592, p = 0.012). This relationship became stronger after adjusting for bathing habits (r = 0.744, p = 0.006). BaPWV was positively correlated with exercise intensity after adjusting for bathing habits (r = 0.563, p = 0.036). Older adults who habitually perform high-intensity resistance exercise had greater muscle strength but aggravate hypertension and arterial stiffness. Bathing habits partly prevent cardiovascular risk without diminishing the improvements in muscle strength induced by high-intensity resistance exercises. Importantly, BP is increasing in winter and decreasing in summer. Our results set the stage of the future research that investigates how reduce the cardiovascular risk in older adults with high-intensity resistance training habits in each season, especially in winter.