Effects of aerobic exercise with blood flow restriction on aerobic capacity and hemoglobin in male university athletes

Introduction: Aerobic exercise remains a primary strategy for improving cardiorespiratory function. Recently, aerobic exercise combined with blood flow restriction has emerged as a low-load training approach with potential benefits for enhancing aerobic capacity and hemoglobin mediated oxygen transport in male university athletes. Objective: To investigate and compare the effects of aerobic exercise combined with blood flow restriction on aerobic capacity and hemoglobin concentration in male university athletes. Methods: Twenty-four male team-sport athletes (mean age: 20.33 ± 1.09 years) were randomly assigned to an aerobic exercise group (AE; n = 12) or an aerobic exercise with blood flow restriction group (AE+BFR; n = 12). Both groups performed stationary cycling three times per week for six weeks under controlled laboratory conditions. The AE+BFR group trained with pneumatic cuffs applied to the proximal thighs at 60% of arterial occlusion pressure. Maximal oxygen consumption (VO₂max) and hemoglobin concentration were assessed before and after the intervention. Results: After the intervention, both groups demonstrated improvements in aerobic capacity and hemoglobin concentration. However, the AE+BFR group exhibited significantly greater increases in VO₂max compared with the AE group (p = 0.005). Hemoglobin concentration tended to increase to a greater extent in the AE+BFR group than in the AE group, although the between-group difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Aerobic exercise combined with blood flow restriction is an effective and time-efficient training modality for enhancing aerobic capacity and may provide additional benefits for hemoglobin-related oxygen transport in male university athletes.