Acute resistance exercise is more effective than aerobic exercise for 24h blood pressure control in type 2 diabetics

The study aimed to analyze blood pressure (BP) responses in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) over a 24h period following resistance (RES) and aerobic (AER) exercise. Ten adults with T2D (age: 55.8 ± 7.7 years; weight: 79.4 ± 14.0 kg; fasting glucose: 133.0 ± 36.7 mg.dL⁻¹) underwent: (1) AER: 20 min of cycling at 90% lactate threshold (90% LT); (2) RES: three laps of a circuit of six exercises with eight repetitions at 70% 1-RM and 40s of recovery; and (3) a control session of no exercise. Heart rate (HR), and systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), mean arterial (MAP) and pulse (PP) BP, as well as lactataemia (Lac), VO(2), respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured at rest, during exercise and control (CON) periods, and 60min after interventions. After each session, BP was also monitored over a 24h period. Peak Lac (RES: 6.4 ± 1.4mM; AER: 3.8 ± 1.2mM), RER (RES: 1.1 ± 0.1; AER: 0.9 ± 0.1) and RPE (RES: 14.0 ± 1.3; AER: 11.0 ± 2.3) were higher following the RES session (P < 0.05). Similar VO₂ (~70% VO(₂peak)) was reached during AER and RES sessions (14.0 ± 3.0 vs 14.3 ± 1.6 mL.kg.min⁻¹; P > 0.05). Compared with CON, only RES elicited post-exercise BP reduction that lasted 8h after exercise. Also, in comparison to pre-exercise rest, the BP dip during sleep was greater following RES (P < 0.05). A single exercise bout decreases BP in T2D patients over a 24h period, with RES being more effective than AER exercise for BP control.