Optimizing Blood Pressure Control Through Resistance Exercise Training in Young Females with Anxiety, Mood, and/or Trauma-Related Mental Health Disorders

PURPOSE: Mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, and PTSD affect many in the U.S., often co-occurring and increasing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, especially in women. Resistance exercise training (RET) shows promise in improving mental health, muscle strength, and metabolic health while potentially mitigating cardiovascular dysfunction. This study examines whether RET enhances blood pressure control—a key CVD risk factor—in young women with anxiety, mood, or trauma-related disorders. We hypothesized that RET would improve blood pressure control, with the most pronounced benefits observed in individuals with the poorest initial blood pressure regulation. METHODS: Twenty-four young women with anxiety, mood, or trauma-related mental health disorders completed 10 weeks of RET. Symptoms (anxiety and depression), resting blood pressure (BP), and BP control were evaluated pre- and post-RET. BP control was assessed via exercise pressor responses (2-minute isometric exercise at 30% maximal voluntary contraction) and cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity (cBRS: 15-second breath hold). Participants were divided into “high” and “low” function sub-groups via median splits to assess RET effectiveness based on pre-RET values, with group x RET interactions analyzed. RESULTS: When all participants were examined together, psychological symptoms (p < 0.01 for all) and resting BP (MAP (Pre-RET: 88 ± 7; Post-RET: 84 ± 9 mmHg); p < 0.01) were significantly improved following RET, but no significant improvements in any BP control variables were observed. Following median-splits of all variables, it was revealed the RET was highly effective at improving certain aspects of BP control during exercise in those with the “lowest” BP control. This was evident by reduced DBP responses to isometric exercise (group x RET interaction effect: p = 0.04) [“low” group (∆DBP: Pre-RET: 12.9 ± 2.3; Post-RET: 6.5 ± 7.8 mmHg; p < 0.01); “high” group (∆DBP: Pre-RET: 5.4 ± 2.7; Post-RET: 7.5 ± 5.1 mmHg; p = 0.32), and improved cBRS (group x RET interaction effect: p = 0.04), specific to improved heart rate responses to rapid elevations in systolic blood pressure [“low” group (cBRS Phase IV: Pre-RET: 5.5 ± 2.5; Post-RET: 10.2 ± 4.8 mmHg.ms -1 ; p = 0.03); “high” group (cBRS Phase IV: Pre-RET: 14.0 ± 5.4; Post-RET: 12.0 ± 6.1 mmHg.ms -1 ; p < 0.34)]. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that RET is a powerful intervention for significantly reducing negative psychological symptoms and lowering resting BP in young women with anxiety, mood, and/or trauma-related mental health disorders. Regarding BP control, RET had the greatest impact on participants with the most impaired regulation, characterized by heightened DBP responses during exercise and reduced cBRS following rapid blood pressure elevations. This abstract was presented at the American Physiology Summit 2025 and is only available in HTML format. There is no downloadable file or PDF version. The Physiology editorial board was not involved in the peer review process.