Concomitant Stimulation of Aerobic Capacity and Protein Synthesis Related Signaling after Walking with Blood Flow Restriction in Untrained Healthy Male

Training with blood flow restriction (BFR) to the active muscle has taken to consideration of researchers as a new training method. Studies have shown that BFR training is simultaneously effective in improving cardiovascular and muscle fitness components. Accordingly, to better understand the mechanisms involved in these adaptations, the purpose of this study was to investigate of concomitant stimulation of aerobic capacity and protein synthesis related signaling after walking with blood flow restriction.

On two different occasions, five healthy untrained male subjects were asked to perform (i) a BFR walking exercise at an exercise intensity of 40 % of VO2max; and (ii) similar exercise bouts without BFR (Ctrl). For each condition, Baseline and 3-h post-exercise muscle biopsy (vastus lateralis) were sampled for protein expression analysis. Venous blood samples were also collected at baseline, immediately and 2-h post-exercise.

PGC-1α protein expression (P= 0.012) and Akt phosphorylation (P= 0.017) were significantly higher at 3-h post-exercise with BFR in comparison to exercise without BFR (P< 0.05). Blood lactate and serum cortisol did not significantly change. IGF-1 concentration significantly increased (P=0.001) immediately following BFR exercise than baseline values and serum GH showed a significant increase (P=0.046) compared with Ctrl.

The results provided evidence that signaling related to aerobic capacity and hypertrophy concomitantly activated following walking exercise with BFR and likely are an explanation for improving aerobic performance and hypertrophy that observed after several previous BFR training studies.