Benefits of Aerobic and/or Resistance Training in HIV-Positive Patients: A Systematic Review

AIDS is considered a chronic disease, characterized for depletion of the lymphocyte T CD4+, caused by the HIV virus. The HIV infection and its pharmacological treatment are linked to physiological and physical disorders, which can induce to lower quality of life. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to elaborate a systematic review about studies published in Pubmed and Capes between 1998 and 2008, which investigated physiological, metabolic, psychological and immunological changes mediated by aerobic and strength training in seropositive individuals. Protocols which only used either aerobic or strength training and both of them were discussed. Most of the research found favorable results about those variables studied. Concerning the prescription model for this population, it should be composed of strength exercises, from 8 to 15 maximum repetitions (hypertrophy) and of aerobic exercises (continuous or interval) with duration of 20 to 60 minutes, the intensity must be between 50-85% of maximum heart rate or 45-80% of maximum oxygen consumption, both three to five times a week. Therefore, in order to develop a program of physical activity it is very important to know the present physical and physiological condition of the HIV+ subject, so that his exertion condition is not under or overestimated.