Acute effect of low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction on oxidative stress biomarkers: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background The purpose of this review was to analyze the acute effects of low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction (LLE-BFR) on oxidative stress markers in healthy individuals in comparison with LLE or high-load resistance exercise (HLRE) without BFR. Materials and methods A systematic review was performed in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. These searches were performed in CENTRAL, SPORTDiscus, EMBASE, PubMed, CINAHL and Virtual Health Library- VHL, which includes Lilacs, Medline and SciELO. The risk of bias and quality of evidence were assessed through the PEDro scale and GRADE system, respectively. Results Thirteen randomized clinical trials were included in this review (total n = 158 subjects). Results showed lower post-exercise damage to lipids (SMD = -0.95 CI 95%: -1.49 to -0. 40, I2 = 0%, p = 0.0007), proteins (SMD = -1.39 CI 95%: -2.11 to -0.68, I2 = 51%, p = 0.0001) and redox imbalance (SMD = -0.96 CI 95%: -1.65 to -0.28, I2 = 0%, p = 0.006) in favor of LLRE-BFR compared to HLRE. HLRE presents higher post-exercise superoxide dismutase activity but in the other biomarkers and time points, no significant differences between conditions were observed. For LLRE-BFR and LLRE, we found no difference between the comparisons performed at any time point. Conclusions Based on the available evidence from randomized trials, providing very low or low certainty of evidence, this review demonstrates that LLRE-BFR promotes less oxidative stress when compared to HLRE but no difference in levels of oxidative damage biomarkers and endogenous antioxidants between LLRE. Trial registration Register number: PROSPERO number: CRD42020183204.

Blood flow restriction as a potential therapy to restore physical function following COVID-19 infection

“…A recent systematic review and meta-analysis (Ferlito et al, 2023) indicates that low-intensity exercise with BFR results in lower acute elevations in biomarkers of oxidative stress when compared to high-intensity exercise without BFR. Additionally, Petrick and colleagues (Petrick et al, 2019) demonstrated that skeletal muscle mitochondrial reactive oxygen species emission rates were acutely decreased 2 h following low-intensity BFR-RE but not after the same exercise protocol performed without BFR.…”

Oxidative status alteration during aerobic-dominant mixed and anaerobic-dominant mixed effort in judokas

“…In the literature, most of the available studies address sports with an aerobic metabolic requirement [ 1 , 9 ]. However, investigations carried out on anaerobic sports to determine oxidative status are rather limited and report widely discrepant results [ 1 ].…”