Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of resistance trainings with and without vascular occlusion, and independent from diet, on body composition, lipid profile, and C-reactive protein of young non-athlete women.
Methods: Forty-five young non-athlete women (age 26.5±3.7 year, height 167.4±3.8 cm, weight 66±4.1 kg, and BMI 23.5±0.7 kg/m2), were chosen in a purposive sampling manner and randomly divided into three groups of traditional resistance trainings, resistance trainings with vascular occlusion, and control (15 persons in each group). The two experimental groups participated in their training schedules, which lasted 24 weeks (4 sessions per week). The traditional resistance trainings group performed trainings at intensity of 70 to 80 percent of one repetition maximum to fatigue, and the resistance trainings with vascular occlusion group performed trainings at intensity of 20-30% 1RM to fatigue.
Results: The results showed that both types of resistance trainings cause significant decreases in triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, very low-density lipoprotein, and C-reactive protein and also lead to significant increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol of these women (P<0.05). Though, the differences between the two experimental groups were insignificant (P>0.05).
Conclusion: Although resistance trainings with vascular occlusion are performed at lower intensity, but they probably generate the impacts of high intensity resistance trainings on lipid profile and systemic inflammation (as heart risk factors), due to production of hypoxia and accordingly similar metabolic demands.