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Bioelectrical impedance vector analysis and phase angle in response to resistance training volume reduction in older women

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2025)Cite this article

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Abstract

Background

Bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) and phase angle (PhA) are important for monitoring hydration, muscle function, and quality of life in older adults. Resistance training (RT) can counteract aging’s adverse effects on cellular integrity and function.

Objective

This study compared the effects of RT volume reduction on BIVA and PhA in physically independent older women. Sixty-seven participants (>60 years) underwent a 20-week standardized whole-body RT program (eight exercises, three sets each, 8–12 repetitions, three non-consecutive days per week in the morning). They were then randomly assigned to one of the three eight-week training conditions following the training model described above: reduced volume to one set (RV1, n = 22), two sets (RV2, n = 24), or maintained volume (MV, n = 21). Bioimpedance spectroscopy measured total body water (TBW), intracellular (ICW), and extracellular (ECW) water, BIVA, and PhA based on resistance (R), impedance (Z), reactance (Xc), and height (H). All groups showed significant increases in TBW, ICW, and ECW during the volume reduction phase (P < 0.05).

Results

R, R/H, Z, and Z/H decreased across all groups, with significant changes from the pre-conditioning phase in the RV1 and RV2 groups (P < 0.05). Xc and Xc/H increased during the pre-conditioning phase across all groups and returned to baseline during the volume reduction phase (P < 0.05). PhA increased during the pre-conditioning and was maintained during the volume reduction phase (RV1 = +0.33°, RV2 = +0.50°, MV = +0.47°; P < 0.05).

Conclusion

These results suggest that reducing RT volume by up to one-third can still improve PhA, BIVA, and hydration status in older women.

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Data availability

Due to ethical restrictions related to participant privacy, the data that support the findings of this study are not publicly available. However, anonymized data may be made available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all subjects for their engagement in the study, the Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES/ Brazil), and the National Council of Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq/Brazil) for the grants conceded to ESC. This work was partially supported by the Ministry of Education (MEC/Brazil), CNPq/Brazil, Secretariat of Science, Technology and Higher Education of Paraná (SETI)/Brazil, and Araucaria Foundation/Brazil. LS is supported by National Council of Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq/Brazil) with a postdoctoral fellowship (CNPq process: 152781/2024-2). PMC is supported by the National Council of Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq/Brazil) with a postdoctoral fellowship (CNPq process: 152340/2024-6) and an abroad fellowship (200039/2025-3).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Metabolism, Nutrition, and Exercise Laboratory, State University Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil

    Melissa Antunes, Leandro dos Santos, Paolo M. Cunha, Witalo Kassiano, Letícia T. Cyrino, Ricardo J. Rodrigues & Edilson S. Cyrino

  2. São Paulo State University, Presidente Prudente, SP, Brazil

    Luís Alberto Gobbo

  3. Exercise and Health Laboratory, CIPER, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Lisbon, Portugal

    Analiza M. Silva & Luís B. Sardinha

  4. Federal Institute of Science and Technology of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil

    Hellen C. G. Nabuco

Authors
  1. Melissa Antunes
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  2. Leandro dos Santos
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  3. Luís Alberto Gobbo
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  4. Analiza M. Silva
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  5. Paolo M. Cunha
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  11. Edilson S. Cyrino
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Contributions

MA and ESC conceived and designed the study. MA, PMC, WK, and RJM conducted the intervention and supervised data collection. LAG and LSC contributed to statistical analysis and data interpretation. AMS and HCGN contributed to methodological support and bioimpedance procedures. LS, MA, PMC, LAG, AMS, WK, LTC, HCGN, RJM, LSC, and ESC contributed to writing and critically revising the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Melissa Antunes.

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Competing interests

The authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria, educational grants, participation in speakers’ bureaus, membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest, and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge, or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

Ethics statement

This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the State University of Londrina, under approval number 48815515.0.0000.5231. All participants provided written informed consent prior to their inclusion in the study, in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

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Antunes, M., dos Santos, L., Gobbo, L.A. et al. Bioelectrical impedance vector analysis and phase angle in response to resistance training volume reduction in older women. Eur J Clin Nutr (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-025-01635-9

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