Right Ventricular Function Improves After Bench Press: A Speckle Tracking Echocardiography Study

Background and Objectives: The association between right ventricular myocardial fiber deformation and nutrition in weightlifters has not been fully characterized. This study analyzed nutritional factors and right ventricle speckle tracking echocardiography parameters in weightlifters before and after bench press exercises. Materials and Methods: This interventional study examined the effects of bench press exercises on myocardial function. Nutritional parameters were assessed prior to exercise. Echocardiography with speckle tracking using vector velocity analysis was performed before and immediately after the bench press exercise. This study included a group of non-elite athlete weightlifters and a non-athlete control group to compare right myocardial function. In the athlete group, transthoracic echocardiograms (TTEs) were conducted before and after the exercise to assess changes in systolic and diastolic right heart function. A cohort of 30 weightlifters from 2014 who continued regular training was re-evaluated in 2024, and nutritional data were collected. Data analyses included ANOVA and Student's T-tests, and correlation coefficients were calculated to explore associations with speckle tracking results. Results: This study involved 211 male weightlifters and a control group of 60 non-athletes. Measured values for the control group and athletes before and after bench press exercise were as follows: right longitudinal global strain (-27.31 ± 1.47, -23.55 ± 2.37, -30.98 ± 2.12); right global longitudinal strain rate (-1.79 ± 0.078, -1.48 ± 0.33, -2.88 ± 0.259 1/s), all p < 0.001; and isovolumic acceleration (2.38 ± 0.22, 3.52 ± 0.15, 6.66 ± 0.88 m/s², p < 0.001). Following exercise, right intraventricular synchrony increased, and longitudinal strain delay decreased (144.88 ± 22.52, 168.92 ± 29.35, 98.27 ± 12.11 ms, p < 0.001). The follow-up group demonstrated a similar response to exercise as the other weightlifters. Right ventricular longitudinal strain showed correlations with protein, vitamin E, and zinc levels (R² = 0.399, p = 0.021; R² = 0.378, p = 0.03; R² = 0.566, p < 0.01), and right ventricular radial velocities correlated with group B vitamins. Conclusions: Weightlifters show less right ventricular deformity before exercise compared to controls, but their strain increases significantly post-exercise. Speckle tracking values might correlate with nutrition.