Blood Flow Restriction as an Exercise Alternative to Ameliorate the Effects of Aging

Purpose of Review Blood flow restriction (BFR) exercise is a recent and novel intervention showing promising results in counteracting several physiological effects related to aging, leading to disability in older adults. The purpose of this paper is to review recent literature within the last 5 years on the effectiveness of BFR training in older adults. Recent Findings BFR performed during light load (20–30% of one-repetition maximum) resistance exercise have showed to enhance musculoskeletal and cardiometabolic health in healthy and frail older adults without any adverse events. Other novel findings are improvements in mobility and gait after performing a BFR training intervention. Summary Including BFR simultaneously with resistance exercise increases bone and muscle mass primarily through several hormonal pathways at the same time it enhances cardiovascular function without any adverse events. The improvements in mobility and gait are indicators of greater health-related quality of life minimizing disability in older adults.