Resisted training reduces cardiovascular risk in elderly women

INTRODUCTION: Human aging combined with a sedentary lifestyle is marked by metabolic changes with change in body composition reflecting directly on the C-reactive protein (CRP), which is an important risk marker for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Resistance Training (RT) is a widely used method in the prevention of diseases associated with aging. Objective: To evaluate the effects of eight weeks of TR on body composition, muscle strength and CRP in a group of elderly women. METHOD: An experimental study was conducted with 10 elderly women (63 ± 2 years). For the CRP analysis, biochemical analysis, complete blood count and lipid profile samples of peripheral venous blood were collected before exercise and 24 hours later. For anthropometric measurements were calculated the body mass index (BMI), waist/hip ratio (WHR) and body composition. The TR was conducted by Combined Series - Bi-Set. Statistical analysis was first conducted with the Shapiro-Wilk normality test (p>0.05) for parametric tests. Group variables were presented as mean and standard deviation. For CRP, anthropometric, body composition and lipid profile variables, the Student t test was performed, for both previous and later to eight weeks of training. For samples of the loads evolution and average food consumption was performed the One Way ANOVA test and, where necessary, the Tukey's post hoc test. The significance level was set at p≤0.05. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant reduction (p=0.02) for the serum concentrations of CRP, which means a decrease of 70.96%, and reduction of the fat mass and increased lean body mass and the training load after eight weeks. CONCLUSION: Eight weeks of RT reduced serum concentrations of C-reactive protein, as well as decreased fat mass and increased muscle volume, proving to be an effective strategy in reducing the risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

引言：人体衰老合并久坐不动的生活方式，会引发代谢改变及身体成分变化，进而直接影响C反应蛋白（C-reactive protein，CRP）水平；而C反应蛋白是心血管疾病（cardiovascular disease，CVD）的重要风险标志物。抗阻训练（Resistance Training，RT）是预防衰老相关疾病的常用手段。
研究目的：探讨8周抗阻训练对老年女性群体身体成分、肌肉力量及C反应蛋白水平的影响。
研究方法：本研究为实验性研究，共纳入10名年龄为63±2岁的老年女性。在训练前及训练后24小时采集外周静脉血样本，用于C反应蛋白检测、生化分析、全血细胞计数及血脂谱检测。人体测量学指标通过计算得出，包括体重指数（body mass index，BMI）、腰臀比（waist/hip ratio，WHR）及身体成分。本次抗阻训练采用组合组-双组（Combined Series - Bi-Set）方案实施。统计分析首先通过Shapiro-Wilk正态性检验（p>0.05）判断数据是否符合参数检验条件；组内变量以均值±标准差的形式呈现。针对训练前与训练后8周的C反应蛋白、人体测量学指标、身体成分及血脂谱变量，采用学生t检验进行分析；针对训练负荷变化及平均食物摄入量的样本，采用单因素方差分析（One Way ANOVA），必要时辅以Tukey事后检验（Tukey's post hoc test）。本研究设定显著性水平为p≤0.05。
研究结果：训练8周后，受试者血清C反应蛋白浓度出现具有统计学意义的降低（p=0.02），降幅达70.96%；同时体脂量减少、去脂体重增加，训练负荷亦有所提升。
结论：8周的抗阻训练可降低血清C反应蛋白浓度，同时减少体脂量、增加肌肉量，证实其为降低心血管疾病风险因素的有效干预策略。