Comparison of blood flow restriction and resistance trainings with medium intensity on salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase levels of beginner female body builders

Various exercise trainings affect human’s hormones. This study aimed to compare the effect of blood flow restriction (BFR) and resistance trainings with medium intensity (Kaatsu training) on salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase levels of beginner female body builders.

In this accidental clinical trial study, 28 beginner female body builders aged 20 to 35, were randomly divided into two groups of 14 volunteers. This study was conducted for 3 weeks, including 3 sessions per week for 90 minutes. The first group (N=14) performed the Kaatsu training with 30-25% of 1RM with blood flow restriction. The second group (N=14) performed the resistance exercise with 70-75% of 1RM without blood flow restriction. The amount of salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase was measured before and after the experiment. Data were analyzed with SPSS software at the significant level of 0.05.

Salivary cortisol had a meaningful increase just in the resistance training group compared to the blood flow restriction group (P=0.001). However, both methods of training didn’t have a significant influence on salivary alpha-amylase (P>0.05).

In the current study, blood flow restriction trainings didn’t have any effect on salivary cortisol of female body builders. Nevertheless, in resistance trainings it had a significant increase. Both methods of training didn’t have any effect on salivary alpha-amylase of female body builders. So compared with resistance training, Kaatsu training probably doesn’t affect the salivary cortisol increase.