What happens to diastolic blood pressure (DBP) during resistance exercise in normal adults?

During resistance exercise in normal adults, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) typically stays the same or may slightly decrease. This response is attributed to several physiological mechanisms that occur during exercise.

During resistance training, the heart rate and systolic blood pressure increase significantly to supply working muscles with more oxygenated blood. However, diastolic blood pressure, which reflects the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats, tends to remain relatively stable or can drop slightly. This stabilization or minor decline is due to the body’s ability to effectively manage vascular resistance and accommodate blood flow demands.

The vasodilation of blood vessels in response to local metabolic demands during exercise can contribute to this stabilization of DBP. While some individuals may experience variations in DBP based on factors such as age, fitness level, or the specific type of resistance exercise performed, the general trend observed in normal adults during resistance training tends to align with maintaining or slightly decreasing DBP.