Effects of Moderate-Intensity Resistance Training on Vascular Endothelial Function and Arterial Stiffness in Young Healthy Men

ABSTRACT: Zhang, Y, Ou, M, Cheng, M, Ying, X, Hu, H, and Korivi, M. Effects of moderate-intensity resistance training on vascular endothelial function and arterial stiffness in young healthy men. J Strength Cond Res 39(8): e960-e966, 2025-This study aimed to ascertain the effects of moderate-intensity resistance exercise (RE) training on arterial stiffness (AS) and endothelial function (EF) in healthy young men. Thirty-two young male adults were randomly assigned to RE and control groups. The RE group performed moderate-intensity (65% 1 repetition maximum) RE training sessions 3 times a week for 8 weeks, while the control group maintained their usual lifestyle without any exercise intervention. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), flow-mediated dilation (FMD), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) were measured before and after the intervention. The results showed that time and group had large interaction effects on arterial resting diameter ( p = 0.020, η2p = 0.168) and FMD ( p = 0.017, η2p = 0.175), but not on maximum diameter, HR, or BP. Compared with baseline, resting diameter increased ( p < 0.01), maximum diameter remained unchanged, and FMD decreased ( p < 0.01) in the RE group after RE intervention. Time and group also had large interaction effects on baPWV ( p < 0.001, η2p = 0.380) and cfPWV ( p = 0.014, η2p = 0.186). The baPWV decreased from 9.33 ± 1.44 to 7.91 ± 1.11 m·s -1 ( p < 0.01), and the cfPWV decreased from 6.14 ± 0.86 to 5.37 ± 0.65 m·s -1 ( p < 0.01) after RE training. In conclusion, moderate-intensity RE training can improve AS, increase resting diameter but reduce FMD without changing maximum diameter, HR, and BP in healthy young men. These imply that it may be necessary to consider changes in arterial diameter in addition to FMD when evaluating the benefits of exercise interventions on EF.