A new study says resistance exercises such as weight lifting is more effective in burning heart fat than aerobic exercises thus reducing risk of cardiovascular disease.
The research was published on an online journal JAMA Cardiology on 3 July 2019, researchers found that weight lifting exercise reduces more heart fat than aerobic exercises.
Researchers were curious whether epicardial and pericardial adipose tissues regulated by both endurance and resistance training?
Curious, how this small research was carried out? Let’s find out in this small article.
Weightlifting better at reducing heart fat than aerobic exercise
Our heart consists of two types of fat, epicardial and pericardial adipose tissues, they are important risk factors for cardiovascular disease. There is a growing interest in discovering strategies to reduce the accumulation of fat in these depots.
The objective was to investigate whether a 12-week endurance or resistance training intervention regulates epicardial and pericardial adipose tissue mass.
For those who are unware of endurance and resistance trianing, they are different types of traing and there purpose is also different.
Endurance exercise such as a aerobics and swimming are meant to increase the body endurance and improve muscle tone. But the purpose of resistance exercises is to increase the strength of the muscle.
Endurance techniques uses low resistance (weight) and high repetition exercises and strength training uses high resistance low repetition techniques.
Research methodology
There were 32 adult participants who were obese and sedentary but did not yet have heart disease, diabetes, or atrial fibrillation.
Participants were randomly given 3 months of both endurance and resistance training. There was a high-intensity interval endurance training (3 times a week for 45 minutes) and resistance training (3 times a week for 45 minutes), or no exercise (control group).
They were all under close supervision. Before we jump let me mention that there is another interesting research that proves that Exercise at home is as effective as gym.
Result
After 3 months if intensive training the change in epicardial and pericardial adipose tissue mass assessed was by magnetic resonance imaging.
While there was a nonsignificant reduction in pericardial adipose tissue mass after endurance training, resistance training significantly reduced pericardial adipose tissue mass by 31% when compared with the no exercise control group.
Compared with the no exercise control group, there was an increase in left ventricular mass by endurance and resistance training. Other cardiometabolic outcomes remained unchanged after the 12-week trial period.
Conclusion
In individuals with abdominal obesity, both endurance and resistance training reduced epicardial adipose tissue mass, while only resistance training reduced pericardial adipose tissue mass. These data highlight the potential preventive importance of different exercise modalities as a means to reduce cardiac fat in individuals with abdominal obesity.
SOURCE:
- Effect of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise on Cardiac Adipose Tissues, JAMA Cardiology, online July 3, 2019. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2737412
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Dr Sunit Sanjay Ekka is a physiotherapist in practice for the last 15 years. He has done his BPT from one of the premium Central Government physiotherapy colleges, ie, SVNIRTAR. The patient is his best teacher and whatever he gets to learn he loves to share it on his Youtube channel and blog.
