Treadmill Exercise Testing on Different Blood Genotypes among University Students

Background: The benefits of regular exercise are overwhelming, be it in children, teens or adult. The phrase “exercise is medicine” has continously been used to emphasize the physiological, pshychological and social benefits of exercise. This research aims at comparing the effect of blood genotype and exercise on some physiological parameters in fit and willing undergraduate students. Methods: 75 undergraduate students in the faculty of Basic Medical Science volunteered to participate in the study. A predesigned, pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire was filled by the students. Physiological variables such as heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory variables was then measured before exercise and at time intervals after the exercise testing on a calibrated motorist treadmill. Results: Blood genotype SS had the highest systolic blood pressure immediately after exercise (155.50 ± 6.91 mmHg) compared to blood genotype AS (155.40 ± 7.00 mmHg) and blood genotype AA (154.88 ± 8.70 mmHg) with significant difference (P < 0.05). Blood genotype AS had the highest systolic blood pressure 15 minutes after exercise (129.63 ± 9.79 mmHg) compared to blood genotype AA (129.13 ± 9.35 mmHg) and SS (122.13 ± 18.50 mmHg) with significant difference (P < 0.05). Blood genotype AS had the highest diastolic blood pressure immediately after exercise (95.29 ± 8.16 mmHg) compared to blood genotype AA (80.34 ± 11.46 mmHg) and SS (94.91 ± 11.81 mmHg) with significant difference (P < 0.05). Blood genotype AS had the highest diastolic blood pressure 15 minutes after exercise (85.60 ± 7.50 mmHg) compared to blood genotype AA (83.63 ± 9.18 mmHg) blood genotype SS (83.63 ± 9.18 mmHg) with significant difference (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Given the benefits of exercise, students should be encouraged to engage in light and moderate exercise irrespective of their blood genotype.