Hemodynamics After Resistance Training

ConditionPerimenopause

Trial statusRecruiting

Trial phaseNot applicable

Trial typeInterventional

Biological sexFemale

Age40-60

SponsorUniversity of Michigan

About this trial

Women's blood vessel health gets worse after menopause, or "the change of life". Some women exercise less during menopause. Exercise can improve blood vessel health. The investigators want to know if resistance exercise, like lifting weights, can improve blood vessel health in women who are just starting menopause. The investigators also want to know if lifting weights can improve mood, sleep, and quality of life in women going through menopause. The investigators will have two groups of women for this study. One group will lift weights (do resistance exercise) twice per week, and the other group will get emails with information about menopause. The investigators will measure blood vessel health, sleep, mood, and menopause symptoms at the start and the end of this study and compare women who did and did not exercise.

Eligibility criteria

This trial does not accept healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Are between 40-60 years old

Have had menstrual irregularities in the last 12 months

Do not currently complete more than two 30-min sessions of structured exercise per week and do not do any resistance training exercise;

Are not currently pregnant

Disqualifiers

None

Trial design

Design model

Parallel

Treatments tested in this trial

Resistance Training Intervention
Behavioral
Participants will complete a brief aerobic warm-up and dynamic stretching prior to each strength training session. Participants will complete 9 exercises for all major muscle groups. Strength testing at the baseline study visit will be used to determine initial load. Participants will complete 1 set of moderate-intensity loads (\~50% maximum and \~12 repetitions) in week 1, 2 sets in week 2, and 3 sets in week 3. By week 4, participants will be completing 3 sets at 60% of maximum. Weight loads will be progressively increased so volitional fatigue is reached by 8-12 repetitions/set.

Treatment groups

50 Participants

are divided into 2 treatment groups

Group A: Resistance Training InterventionExperimental treatment 1 intervention

Group B: Health Education InterventionNo intervention 0 interventions

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

Vascular function

Arterial stiffness and wave reflection will be measured at baseline and following the 16-week study period using cuff-based waveform acquisition and applanation tonometry.

Time frame