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Strength training is not just for biceps.
It may also support the muscles that help you breathe to lower blood pressure.
A new study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that daily high-resistance inspiratory strength training (IMST) for six weeks lowered systolic blood pressure by an average of 9 millimeters of mercury.
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“Our study found that high-resistance inspiratory strength training consisting of 30 resistance inhalations per day via a handheld device reduced systolic blood pressure by an average of 9 mmHg,” said lead author Daniel. Harrison Craighead, Ph.D.
He is an Assistant Professor of Integrative Physiology at the University of Colorado Boulder.
“This is important because lowering blood pressure to that level reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and other health problems associated with high blood pressure,” Craighead said.
Muscles weaken over time, so strength training is often used to keep the body’s muscles healthy.
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But Craighead wanted to apply the same concept to muscles that help us breathe, such as the diaphragm.
Along with other researchers, he recruited healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 82 to use a device called PowerBreathe. (There are several such devices on the market.)
Participants in this study were asked to use the device for 5 minutes a day for 6 weeks.
According to the PowerBreathe website, they are often referred to as “diaphragmatic dumbbells” because they create resistance when you inhale.
“Just like using heavier dumbbells as your biceps strength increases, you can increase the resistance of your breathing apparatus as your breathing intensity increases,” the website added.
A new study found that breathing 30 times a day for six weeks lowered systolic blood pressure by about 9 millimeters of mercury. This is similar to the decline achieved by traditional aerobic exercise such as walking, running and cycling.
The lead author of the new study said of breathing, “We hope people can easily follow the protocol, as it only takes 5 to 10 minutes a day.”
“Additionally, the protocol only takes five to 10 minutes a day, so we hope it’s easy for people to follow,” Craighead told Fox News Digital.
“It’s easy to do while you’re watching TV or waiting for your coffee to brew.”
A 10 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure reduces the risk of stroke by about 35% and heart disease by about 25% at age 65, according to a report in the British Medical Journal.
What is high blood pressure?
The American Heart Association defines normal blood pressure as less than 120/80 mm Hg.
The top number is systolic pressure, the pressure in the arteries as the heart contracts and pumps blood throughout the body.
The bottom number is diastolic pressure, or according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest and filled with blood.
If your systolic blood pressure readings are consistently between 120 and 129, you are at risk of hypertension, also known as hypertension, which is called elevated blood pressure.
People diagnosed with stage 1 hypertension consistently have systolic blood pressure in the range of 130-139 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure in the range of 80-89 mm Hg.
“High blood pressure is a common problem, leading to stroke, heart failure, kidney failure, and a variety of other cardiovascular complications.”
If diagnosed at this stage, lifestyle changes are often recommended before starting medication.
“High blood pressure is a common problem, leading to stroke, heart failure, kidney failure, and a variety of other cardiovascular complications,” Deepak L. Bhatt, M.D., professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, told Fox News. told Digital.
“Lifestyle measures such as limiting salt intake and weight loss can help lower blood pressure, but many people with high blood pressure eventually need medication.
She is also Executive Director of the Cardiovascular Interventional Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital Heart & Vascular Center in Boston.
Stage 2 hypertension is when systolic blood pressure readings are consistently in the range of 140/90 mm Hg or higher, according to the American Heart Association.
“Potentially, as done with this, breathing training [new] Studies have shown that it strengthens the muscles involved in breathing and may even help lower blood pressure.
“It seems like a safe approach, but more research is needed to determine how effective it is and who the ideal candidates are.”
Bhatt said people taking high blood pressure medications should not stop these medications without first consulting their doctor.
“Longer studies are needed to confirm that people who do this training actually have lower rates of blood pressure-related conditions,” said the lead author of the new study.
Craighead of the University of Colorado Boulder told Fox News Digital about IMST, a respiratory respiratory muscle strength training process, “I don’t see it as a magical solution per se.
“Reducing systolic blood pressure alone is not sufficient to achieve complete blood pressure control in people with mild or severe hypertension.
“However, so far it has been found to be effective in people already taking antihypertensive medications, so it could be an excellent ‘add-on’ therapy to medication.”
He also pointed out that “breathing training is very different from running or walking, so there are additional benefits to conventional exercise. But that question needs to be confirmed in further research.”
How does breathing training work?
Endothelial cells line the lining of blood vessels and help produce an important heart-protective compound called nitric oxide, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Nitric oxide widens blood vessels and promotes healthy blood flow.
This study found that 6 weeks of inspiratory strength training increased endothelial function by approximately 45%.
Limitations of research
Craighead noted that his current study has some limitations, including only testing participants for six weeks.
“Longer studies need to be done to confirm that rates of blood pressure-related conditions are actually lower in people who do this training,” he told Fox News Digital.
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He also noted that most of the participants in his study were non-Hispanic white adults, making it difficult to generalize the study to a diverse population.
“We need to know how effective this breathing training is when people train on their own, without the supervision of a researcher.”
All studies were conducted in controlled laboratories, so “we need to know how effective this breathing training is when people train on their own, without the supervision of a researcher.”
Needs further research
However, he hopes the findings will stimulate more research into high-resistance inspiratory strength training.
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“If the health benefits are confirmed in larger trials with longer durations of treatment, this could prove to be another important tool in the toolbox for controlling blood pressure.
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“I think it’s very promising because it’s very time efficient. So far, it’s been shown to be safe in the groups we studied.”