A new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association demonstrates the strongest evidence to date that a breathing workout known as highâ€resistance inspiratory muscle strength training (IMST) can help lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health in adults.
Researchers performed a double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled trial to investigate the effects of six weeks of IMST (30 breaths/day, six days/week) on blood pressure, endothelial function, and arterial stiffness in midlife/older adults (aged 50–79 years) with systolic blood pressure higher than 120 mm Hg. For the study, 36 participants practiced either high-intensity IMST or low-intensity sham training, and researchers documented the results.
IMST was shown to have beneficial effects across a range of biomarkers, including systolic blood pressure and brachial artery flowâ€mediated dilation.
The study concludes that highâ€resistance IMST is a safe, highly adherable lifestyle intervention for improving blood pressure and endothelial function in midlife/older adults with aboveâ€normal initial systolic blood pressure.
Read the study online at https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.121.020980.