Effect of strength training with blood flow restriction on body composition, lipid profile and serum irisin levels in elderly women

Aging is accompanied by changes in body homeostasis, an increased risk of chronic non-communicable diseases, and a decline in functional capacity. To delay or reduce this decline, the elderly population can adhere to strength training (ST) programs, as they promote morphofunctional and metabolic adaptations, in addition to inducing the production of irisin, a myokine related to weight loss and body composition control. Its concentrations increase after performing exercises with high loads, but it is unclear whether ST with low loads associated with blood flow restriction (LLST+BFR) can alter body composition, lipid profile, and serum irisin levels in elderly women. The objective was to evaluate the effect of 16 weeks of LLST+BFR on body composition, lipid profile, and serum irisin levels in elderly women. Thirty-nine healthy elderly women, aged 60 to 77 years, were randomly distributed into the following groups: LLST+BFR; moderate load ST (MLST); Low-load ST (LLST) and control (CON) groups performed 4 exercises, consisting of 3 sets of 10 repetitions, in 3 weekly sessions. Only the LLST+BFR group showed a significant increase in muscle mass (MM) p=0.015 after the intervention, quantified by the InBody 570 Biospace®; the lipid profile, quantified by the automated CHEMWELL-T analyzer; and serum irisin levels, measured by ELISA, did not change p>0.05. It is concluded that LLST+RFS was effective in increasing MM, even though it was not effective in altering the lipid profile and serum irisin levels.