Longevity & AgingExercise Cuts 24-Hour Blood Pressure More Than Office Readings Reveal
A new network meta-analysis published in The BMJ examined how different exercise types affect 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure — a measure more predictive of cardiovascular mortality than standard office readings. Researchers analyzed all randomized controlled trials of exercise training lasting 4 or more weeks. Aerobic exercise, combined training, and high-intensity interval training all significantly reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure over 24 hours compared to controls. No single modality clearly outperformed the others. Notably, the evidence for resistance training, isometric exercise, yoga, and recreational activities remains insufficient to draw firm conclusions. This is the first comprehensive meta-analysis to evaluate exercise effects specifically on ambulatory blood pressure, filling an important gap in cardiovascular prevention research.
