Evidence mapPaperPMID 41810114Full record

ArticleFrontiers in physiology2026

Autoregulation during blood flow restricted exercise offers no additional benefit on thigh muscle hypertrophy and strength adaptations in trained participants: a randomized within-subject 8-week trial.

Neslihan Akçay, Nicholas Rolnick, Kadir Keskin, Okan Kamiş, Nevin Köremezli Keskin, Onur Başdemirci, Cem Sofuoğlu, Luke Hughes

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Article in Frontiers in physiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Neslihan AkçayFaculty of Sport Sciences, Department of Coaching Education, Karabük University, Karabük, Türkiye.
Nicholas RolnickThe BFR PROS, New York, NY, United States.
Kadir KeskinFaculty of Sports Sciences, Department of Coaching Education, Gazi University, Ankara, Türkiye.
Okan KamişDepartment of Sports and Health, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Türkiye.
Nevin Köremezli KeskinFaculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Karabük University, Karabük, Türkiye.
Onur BaşdemirciKarabük Training and Research Hospital, Department of Radiology, Karabük, Türkiye.
Cem SofuoğluFaculty of Sport Sciences, Department of Coaching Education, Karabük University, Karabük, Türkiye.
Luke HughesSchool of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: With the increasing use of BFR, various cuff design features have emerged, potentially influencing training outcomes. One notable feature is autoregulation, which dynamically modifies tourniquet cuff pressure during muscle contractions to maintain a consistent applied pressure. Objective: This study investigated the effects of autoregulated versus non-autoregulated blood flow restriction (BFR) training pressures on thigh muscle hypertrophy and strength. Methods: Using a within-subjects randomized controlled trial design, twenty-one resistance-trained males (≥3 years of experience) completed twice-weekly sessions involving single-leg squats and knee extensions for 8 weeks. One lower limb was trained under autoregulated BFR (AUTO) and the other under non-autoregulated BFR (NONAUTO) conditions using the specific BFR device. Muscle strength (1RM), muscle thickness and cross-sectional area (CSA) of the rectus femoris and vastus lateralis were assessed pre- and post-intervention using ultrasonography. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and discomfort (RPD) were also recorded at the end of weeks 1, 4 and 8. Results: Both AUTO and NONAUTO conditions led to significant and comparable increases in muscle thickness and CSA across all measured sites of the thigh musculature, as well as improvements in 1RM for both exercises. RPE and RPD scores significantly decreased over time in both conditions, with no between-condition differences. No adverse events occurred in either condition. Autoregulated and non-autoregulated BFR training produced similar muscular hypertrophy and strength adaptations, and perceptual responses. Conclusion: The current manuscript is the first ever to investigate the chronic effects of BFR training in autoregulated and non-autoregulated applications and is pioneering in this respect. These findings suggest autoregulation does not provide additional physiological benefits under controlled training conditions in the same individual.

Indexed as

BFR trainingblood flow restrictionhypertrophykaatsuocclusion trainingstrengthvascular occlusion

Identifiers

PMID41810114
PMCPMC12967994

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.