title: Age affects exercise-induced improvements in heart rate response to exercise.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of age on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), muscle strength and heart rate (HR) response to exercise adaptation in women in response to a long-term twice-weekly combined aerobic and resistance exercise program. 85 sedentary women, divided into young (YG; n=22, 30.3 ± 6.2 years), early middle-aged (EMG; n=28, 44.1 ± 2.5 years), late middle-aged (LMG; n=20, 56.7 ± 3.5 years) and older (OG; n=15, 71.4 ± 6.9 years) groups, had their CRF, muscle strength (1-repetition maximum test) and HR response to exercise (graded exercise test) measured before and after 12 months of combined exercise training. Exercise training improved CRF and muscle strength in all age groups (P<0.05), and no significant differences were observed between groups. Exercise training also improved resting HR and recovery HR in YG and EMG (P<0.05), but not in LMG and OG. Maximal HR did not change in any group. Combined aerobic and resistance training at a frequency of 2 days/week improves CRF and muscle strength throughout the lifespan. However, exercise-induced improvements in the HR recovery response to exercise may be impaired in late middle-aged and older women.
authors.affiliation: Exercise and Chronic Disease Research Laboratory, Physical Education -Department, School of Sciences, São Paulo State University - UNESP, Bauru, Brazil.
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Ciolac
authors.affiliation: Exercise and Metabolic Disease Research Laboratory, Translational -Sciences Section, School of Nursing, University of California at Los -Angeles, Los Angeles, United States.
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Kinesiology, Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: J M Rodrigues
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Heart Institute, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Guimarães
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000379:methods; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055070:Resistance Training; D055815:Young Adult