Caffeine Ingestion and Intense Resistance Training Minimize Postexercise Hypotension in Normotensive and Prehypertensive Men

Abstract

The primary aim of the study was to compare changes in blood pressure (BP) in normotensive and prehypertensive men completing resistance exercise following caffeine ingestion. Normotensive (n = 7) and hypertensive men (n = 7) ingested caffeine (6 mg^.kg⁻¹) or placebo 1 h preexercise, then completed four sets of bench press, leg press, lat pull-down, and shoulder press at 70%–80% one repetition maximum (1-RM). Heart rate (HR) and BP were measured preexercise, during exercise, and for 75 min postexercise. Caffeine increased (p < 0.05) resting, exercise, and recovery systolic BP, yet had no effect on HR (p = 0.16) or diastolic BP (p = 0.10). HR and BP were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in prehypertensive men versus normotensives. Postexercise hypotension did not occur in either treatment, suggesting that intense resistance training with or without caffeine intake may mitigate the BP-lowering effect of resistance exercise.

Keywords:

• blood pressure
• heart rate
• muscular strength
• bench press
• pressor response