The acute effects of resistance exercise on the main determinants of blood rheology

• Published in: Journal of sports sciences 2005-03, Vol.23 (3), p.243-249
• Main Authors: Ahmadizad, Sajad, El-Sayed, Mahmoud S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Albumins - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Physiological Phenomena; Blood Proteins - metabolism; Blood rheology; Blood Viscosity - physiology; Erythrocyte Count; Exercise - physiology; fibrinogen; Fibrinogen - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hematocrit; Hemoglobins - metabolism; Hemorheology; Humans; Male; plasma viscosity; Plasma Volume - physiology; resistance exercise; Rest - physiology; Vertebrates: body movement. Posture. Locomotion. Flight. Swimming. Physical exercise. Rest. Sports; Weight Lifting - physiology
• ISSN: 0264-0414; 1466-447X
• DOI: 10.1080/02640410410001730151

The aim of this study was to examine short-term changes in blood rheological variables after a single bout of resistance exercise. Twenty-one healthy males completed three sets of 5 - 7 repetitions of six exercises at an intensity corresponding to 80% of one-repetition maximum (1-RM). The average duration of the exercise bout was 35 min. Venous blood samples were obtained before exercise, immediately after exercise and after 30 min of recovery and analysed for lactate, red blood cell count, haematocrit, haemoglobin, plasma viscosity, fibrinogen, total protein and albumin concentration. Plasma volume decreased 10.1% following resistance exercise. This occurred in parallel with an increase of 5.6%, 5.4% and 6.2% in red blood cell count, haemoglobin and haematocrit; respectively. Plasma viscosity increased from 1.55 ± 0.01 to 1.64 ± 0.01 mPa · s immediately after resistance exercise before decreasing to 1.57 ± 0.01 mPa · s at the end of the recovery period. Similarly, fibrinogen, albumin and total protein increased significantly following resistance exercise. However, the rises in all these rheological parameters were transient and returned to pre-exercise values by the end of recovery. We conclude that a single session of heavy resistance exercise performed by normal healthy individuals alters blood rheological variables and that these changes are transient and could be attributed to exercise-induced haemoconcentration.