Doing many reps triggers a bigger stress and inflammation response in the body right after exercise than doing fewer heavy reps.
Scientific Claim
High-volume resistance exercise (8 sets of 10 repetitions) causes a significant acute increase in cortisol and interleukin-6 concentrations at 30 minutes post-exercise in trained men, whereas high-intensity exercise (8 sets of 3 repetitions) does not elicit these responses.
Original Statement
“Cortisol and IL-6 concentrations were significantly elevated at P-30 min following HV only (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively).”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
definitive
Can make definitive causal claims
Assessment Explanation
The RCT design and time-specific measurements support causal language. The claim accurately reflects the specificity of the response to HV only.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Comparison of the recovery response from high-intensity and high-volume resistance exercise in trained men
The study found that doing many reps (8 sets of 10) made trained men’s stress and inflammation hormones spike after exercise, but doing heavy, few reps (8 sets of 3) didn’t — exactly what the claim says.