Lifting Causing High Blood Pressure

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

If you don’t feel like reading, the summary:

  • 20 yr, 6ft, 195lbs, 8% body fat
  • Blood pressure went from 120/80 to 140/90, coinciding with addition of heavy lifting
  • Healthy diet, aerobically fit, blood tests fine, no obvious reasons for problems
  • Anyone else experience a positive correlation between lifting frequency and blood pressure?

A little background…

I’m a 20 year old Male, 6ft, 195 pounds, 8% body fat. I started lifting weights seriously (5-6x a week) about 1.5 years ago (was around 165 pounds at similar body fat when I started). My blood pressure was always normal (120/80) up until a year ago when it was 130/85. The doc didn’t worry about it because my readings had always been fine. In March, I had it taken again and it was 140/90.

I’m currently seeing doctors and getting different tests done to see what’s up (it was 140/90 again today). I took it every day for about a month when I was at college and it averaged to around 130ish/80ish. So that just proves that this isn’t white coat hypertension.

So, my question is, has anyone here noticed a RISE in blood pressure that coincided with an increase in weight lifting? The doctor I saw today said that he has no proof, and it’s purely anecdotal, but he’s observed people that have a similar case as mine (albeit not as young as me) in that they started weight lifting and the blood pressure went up with the weights.

I know that I’m physically fit, I ran cross-country for 4 years in high school and then the past 2 years in college. I’m not on the team anymore, but I currently run 8-10 miles a week, some more cardio-like, some HIIT, a little of everything. I was running 40 miles/week in February, so lack of aerobic/cardiovascular fitness is not the cause of the HBP. Back when I was running a lot (and trying to gain weight), I was eating 5k-6k calories a day, but I don’t think that should really affect things.

It may sound like I was overtraining (lifting 5-6x a week and running 40 miles), which I may have been, and I know that too much sympathetic stimulation can cause blood pressure to increase, but I cut back a lot for a few weeks and there was no significant change in my readings.

I had blood tests done, my cholesterol, triglycerides, etc. came back fine. Also had an ultrasound of my renal arteries, everything was fine there as well. The only hereditary association with high blood pressure is to my grandmother. Both of my parents are 110/70.

I’ve never done steroids, drank alcohol, smoked, done drugs, etc. The only supplements I take are fish oil and whey (I rarely take a multivitamin). I’ve played around with my diet a lot over the years, but I eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, meats, nuts, whole grains, etc. Pretty much the only food I eat from a box is cereal, everything else is the way it was when it came off the bush/tree/animal/whatever. I don’t put salt on anything.

After talking with the doctor today I’m going to try to cut back sodium intake even more (sometimes I might eat popcorn, for example, which has around 900mg of sodium for a bag) to see if it helps - I don’t know if it will.

Does anyone have any ideas on this? Anyone experienced anything similar? I definitely don’t want to stop lifting. I’m willing to try whatever I need to to get this down. - the doctor also said that (once again anecdotal evidence, he said he has no studies to prove it) sometimes yoga can help lower BP. I want to exhaust all of my options before I even consider going on any type of medication for this. I don’t take any medication now and I’d like to keep it that way.

2

[quote]Silverspeed wrote:

I’m currently seeing doctors and getting different tests done to see what’s up (it was 140/90 again today). I took it every day for about a month when I was at college and it averaged to around 130ish/80ish. So that just proves that this isn’t white coat hypertension.
[/quote]

No it doesn’t. 130/80 is not the same as 140/90. One is “high blood pressure” and the other isn’t. It could very well be white coat syndrome if it only hits 140/90 while at the doctor’s office.

3

Weight lifting causes an acute increase in BP, not long-term ramifications though.

Are you under any stress with school or life in general?

120/80 to 130/85 isn’t really a big deal IMO (though I am not a medical doctor), now once you start hitting the 140s consistently and 90s then yeah you might want to be careful.

4

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Silverspeed wrote:

I’m currently seeing doctors and getting different tests done to see what’s up (it was 140/90 again today). I took it every day for about a month when I was at college and it averaged to around 130ish/80ish. So that just proves that this isn’t white coat hypertension.

No it doesn’t. 130/80 is not the same as 140/90. One is “high blood pressure” and the other isn’t. It could very well be white coat syndrome if it only hits 140/90 while at the doctor’s office.

[/quote]

Okay, true. Correct me if I’m wrong, but 130/80 is still a little worrisome in the long run, correct? When I was getting it measured daily @ school it was sometimes up to 145/90 and other times 125/80. So technically the average isn’t Stage 1 hypertension yet, but it’s prehypertensive which has me a little concerned.

=========================================

[quote]jehovasfitness wrote:
Weight lifting causes an acute increase in BP, not long-term ramifications though.

Are you under any stress with school or life in general?

120/80 to 130/85 isn’t really a big deal IMO (though I am not a medical doctor), now once you start hitting the 140s consistently and 90s then yeah you might want to be careful.[/quote]

Yeah, I’ve read that weight lifting causes acute increases but doesn’t affect resting blood pressure. At least, that’s what all the studies have said up until this point. I’m not under any abnormal amount of stress out of the ordinary, no.

5

[quote]Silverspeed wrote:

Okay, true. Correct me if I’m wrong, but 130/80 is still a little worrisome in the long run, correct? When I was getting it measured daily @ school it was sometimes up to 145/90 and other times 125/80. So technically the average isn’t Stage 1 hypertension yet, but it’s prehypertensive which has me a little concerned.
[/quote]

  1. Your blood pressure will likely not stay constant from puberty to death. Gains in body weights can have at least some effect on blood pressure.

  2. 130/80 is NOT cause for concern in and of itself.

  3. Your blood pressure goes up and down all day long depending on your activity and stress level

  4. 140/90 is considered “high blood pressure” if you get CONSTANT RESTING readings.

If your blood pressure isn’t 140/90 AT REST when you are NOT at the doctor’s office but is 140/90 when you ARE at the doctor’s office, you have white coat syndrome.

6

[quote]Professor X wrote:

If your blood pressure isn’t 140/90 AT REST when you are NOT at the doctor’s office but is 140/90 when you ARE at the doctor’s office, you have white coat syndrome.

[/quote]

I have a client who was the best candidate for being a kidney donor and he was turned away for the same “high” reading above.

The guy was a nervous wreck anyway, (his boyfriend was the intended recipient), just moved his hair salon to a new location with a crew of bitchy women to deal with, just quit smoking (again) in order to donate and absolutely HATED the doctor he was forced to go to yet loved his other GP and had the weight of his pass/fail and the life-or-death thing of his partner resting on his shoulders.

Another client of mine, a nurse, was able to get his readings for him, early in the day, at home and calm, 120/75-80 each time.

Once back in the hospital for his re-tests, it shoots up to 140-90 or so.

He was ultimately kicked off the “team” and they had to find a different donor.

7

Hey,

I’m in a very similar situation.

Yeah 130ish is still worrisome in the long run. Health outcomes are benefited by reducing to target somewhere between 110 and 120 (I forget the exact number). 140/90 is an arbitrary definition of hypertension.

It could be be white coat, or perhaps your doctor has a smaller cuff than you did in college, or perhaps your blood pressure has simply gone up…or perhaps your measurements in college sucked.

I wouldnt be freaking out about it though. If you did have to be medicated, most of the first line drugs for hypertension are really well tolerated (particularly AT1 antagonists). Everyone of course would prefer to be off drugs, but weigh up with your doctor the benefits of staying off medication vs drawbacks of being borderline hypertensive.

I’m sure some people will jump on the anti drug bandwagon soon. The other guys who have posted usually have useful things to say, but just beware some other guys on the forum who seem to believe the entire medical profession is a giant conspiracy.

-Cloth

[quote]Silverspeed wrote:
Professor X wrote:
Silverspeed wrote:

I’m currently seeing doctors and getting different tests done to see what’s up (it was 140/90 again today). I took it every day for about a month when I was at college and it averaged to around 130ish/80ish. So that just proves that this isn’t white coat hypertension.

No it doesn’t. 130/80 is not the same as 140/90. One is “high blood pressure” and the other isn’t. It could very well be white coat syndrome if it only hits 140/90 while at the doctor’s office.

Okay, true. Correct me if I’m wrong, but 130/80 is still a little worrisome in the long run, correct? When I was getting it measured daily @ school it was sometimes up to 145/90 and other times 125/80. So technically the average isn’t Stage 1 hypertension yet, but it’s prehypertensive which has me a little concerned.

=========================================

jehovasfitness wrote:
Weight lifting causes an acute increase in BP, not long-term ramifications though.

Are you under any stress with school or life in general?

120/80 to 130/85 isn’t really a big deal IMO (though I am not a medical doctor), now once you start hitting the 140s consistently and 90s then yeah you might want to be careful.

Yeah, I’ve read that weight lifting causes acute increases but doesn’t affect resting blood pressure. At least, that’s what all the studies have said up until this point. I’m not under any abnormal amount of stress out of the ordinary, no.
[/quote]

8

Something simple you could try, just to make sure.

If you’re flexing your arm while bp is being checked it can shoot up your bp quite a bit.

Make sure you’re not skewing your own readings by doing this.

9

[quote]Silverspeed wrote:
Correct me if I’m wrong, but 130/80 is still a little worrisome in the long run, correct?[/quote]

I’ve had high blood pressure for a while, and my doctor always told me that the bottom number is the most important in the long run. The top number can jump around really easily, but 80 is good for the bottom number. 140/90 and 130/80 is considered a big difference, Prof X is right about the white coat syndrome. 130/80 is healthy, 140/90 is not.

Even if you do have white coat syndrome, it would appear that your blood pressure has risen slightly. But I wouldn’t say it is significant enough to start worrying about it.

In my opinion the additional 30 pounds might have more to do with the rise in blood pressure than the weight lifting. Mine was always related to weight, but then again, I don’t see why it would go up that fast while gaining lean body mass.

I had 140/90 consistently (even at home), I was put on medication, but it was in extremely small doses, and that was enough to put the bottom number under 80 again.

10

[quote]jimmyjamesii wrote:
Silverspeed wrote:
Correct me if I’m wrong, but 130/80 is still a little worrisome in the long run, correct?

I’ve had high blood pressure for a while, and my doctor always told me that the bottom number is the most important in the long run. The top number can jump around really easily, but 80 is good for the bottom number. 140/90 and 130/80 is considered a big difference, Prof X is right about the white coat syndrome. 130/80 is healthy, 140/90 is not.

Even if you do have white coat syndrome, it would appear that your blood pressure has risen slightly. But I wouldn’t say it is significant enough to start worrying about it.

In my opinion the additional 30 pounds might have more to do with the rise in blood pressure than the weight lifting. Mine was always related to weight, but then again, I don’t see why it would go up that fast while gaining lean body mass.

I had 140/90 consistently (even at home), I was put on medication, but it was in extremely small doses, and that was enough to put the bottom number under 80 again.[/quote]

Good post.

11

What about bpm?

My diastolic is between 65-80 and the systolic fluctuates between 129-158 but my bpm is always in the 90s or even 100s at rest.

Sorry to hijack OP.

12

100 is tachycardic… but as with the op, some people are high and some are low - it’s not a precise value where if you’re above it you’re going to die. If you stay above 100 and are sob or have chest pain, then I would take it very seriously.

13

[quote]machiajelly wrote:

100 is tachycardic… but as with the op, some people are high and some are low - it’s not a precise value where if you’re above it you’re going to die. If you stay above 100 and are sob or have chest pain, then I would take it very seriously.[/quote]

More importantly though, “at rest” does not mean, “I just ran up a flight of stairs but I sat still for 5 min before taking the reading”. If you want to know your true resting BPM, take it when you first wake up.

14

Mine ranges from around 130/70 to 160/70. Now 160 is obviously not good at all but it only occasionally goes that high.

In my case my bp is correlated very much with my weight. At 180lbs it was around 120/70 but now at 240lbs it is a different story.

A cardiologist friend told me that “Isolated systolic hypertension” is common amongst weightlifters. I’d like to offer more evidence than that, but studies on our kind are scarce.

15

mine was 135/85 so I started cutting way back on salt and taking 1-2grams a day of potassium and 10grams of fish oils. Now I get readings about 118/70

16

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Silverspeed wrote:

I’m currently seeing doctors and getting different tests done to see what’s up (it was 140/90 again today). I took it every day for about a month when I was at college and it averaged to around 130ish/80ish. So that just proves that this isn’t white coat hypertension.

No it doesn’t. 130/80 is not the same as 140/90. One is “high blood pressure” and the other isn’t. It could very well be white coat syndrome if it only hits 140/90 while at the doctor’s office.

[/quote]

I get stressed just thinking about getting my BP taken.