Can Weight Training Lower Blood Pressure in Adults?

New research has found that moderate-to-vigorous intensity strength training is effective in reducing blood pressure. This study adds to the growing body of evidence that lifting weights offers cardiovascular and overall health benefits. Combining strength training with cardio workouts has already been shown to lead to increased longevity.

The study shows that weight training plays a key role in regulating high blood pressure, particularly for people under 50. During physical activity, heart rate increases, blood vessels dilate, blood flow increases, and nitric oxide production increases, all of which have long-term benefits for blood pressure. Giovanna Rampazzo Teixeira, lead author of the study and a professor in the Department of Physical Education at São Paulo State University in Presidente Prudente, explains that exercise also leads to adaptations such as a decrease in resting heart rate, improved cardiac efficiency, and increased maximum volume of oxygen, which has long-term benefits for blood pressure.

The study involved a review of 14 trials, with participants engaged in moderate-to-vigorous-intensity strength training for eight weeks or more. Participants aged between 18 and 50 saw a greater reduction in blood pressure than those aged between 51 and 70. Resistance training has been shown to maintain healthy endothelial function and increase one's resting metabolic rate, contributing to weight management and reduction and ultimately aiding blood pressure control.

Strength training is still beneficial for older adults managing hypertension, although they may experience fewer blood pressure benefits from it than younger people due to complications resulting from age and problems with vascular cells. A healthy exercise program should include both aerobic and strength training, according to experts.

“This can influence [the] benefits of exercise. However, that doesn’t mean that this population does not have a reduction in blood pressure,” Teixeira said. “And this population can benefit not only from the vascular improvement but also from the increase in muscle mass that makes all the difference during senescence, giving more autonomy to the elderly.”

Dr. Hsu cited the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans from the Department of Health and Human Services, emphasizing the importance of muscle-strengthening exercise involving all major muscle groups at least two times per week.

“Combined aerobic and strength training programs have been shown to have a modest effect on reducing blood pressure—by 2–3 mmHg,” Dr. Hsu added. “Additionally, strength training, especially when combined with aerobic training, can help improve risk factors such as high cholesterol levels, diabetes, and obesity, which will ultimately lead to healthier conditions for the heart.”

If you’re considering adopting weight training as part of your routine, especially when it comes to lowering blood pressure, Teixeira echoed Dr. Hsu and Dr. Singh in that you should aim for at least two or three times each week.

Dr. Hsu added that it’s important not to view weight training exercises as a “magic bullet” to lower your high blood pressure. He recommends a comprehensive exercise program that includes both aerobic and strength training, as well as adopting a healthy diet, of course.

“We clearly have evidence showing that it can reduce blood pressure, which in turn reduces the risk for heart attacks and strokes. Strength training also helps with weight management, blood sugar control—reduced risk of diabetes or better control of diabetes—cholesterol reduction,” Dr. Singh said. “All of these are risk factors for heart disease.”

While it’s clear that weight training is a helpful tool for blood pressure health, there are a variety of methods individuals can use within the weight room. Is there a difference between higher reps and low weight-bearing exercises and lower reps and high weight-bearing exercises when it comes to lowering high blood pressure?

“The main difference between those two is that low weight and high rep typically correlate to increasing muscular endurance while high weight and low rep lead to increases in muscle mass. People benefit from both types of lifting because both muscle endurance and increasing muscle mass—to improve resting metabolic rate and fat loss—can be beneficial for general heart health,” Dr. Singh said.

Teixeira said that the number of reps was not investigated in this research, but the intensity was. She noted that as long as you work within that 60% load intensity level, how you go about actually lifting weights shouldn’t make much difference in terms of the blood pressure benefits you’ll receive.

“Generally, we recommend weights that a person can perform 10 reps with,” Dr. Hsu concluded. “Caution should be taken with heavier weights, particularly in older individuals, as these may increase the risk of musculoskeletal injury during the exercise if the weights exceed one’s capacity.”