Effects of a Single Session of High- and Moderate-Intensity Resistance Exercise on Endothelial Function of Middle-Aged Sedentary Men

Impact of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise in combined hypoxic and hot conditions on endothelial function

There is no study that has investigated the impact of exercise in a combined hypoxic and hot environment on endothelial function. Therefore, we tested whether aerobic exercise in a combined hypoxic and hot conditions induces further enhancement of endothelial function. Twelve healthy males cycled at a constant workload (50% of their maximal oxygen uptake under normoxic/thermoneutral conditions) for 30 min in four different environments: exercise under normoxic condition (NOR: fraction of inspiratory oxygen or FiO2 = 20.9%, 20°C), exercise under hypoxic condition (HYP: FiO2 = 14.5%, 20°C), exercise under hot condition (HOT: FiO2 = 20.9%, 30°C), and exercise under combined hypoxia and hot conditions (HH: FiO2 = 14.5%, 30°C). Before, during, and after exercise, cardiovascular variables (e.g., heart rate, blood flow, and shear rate), blood variables, and endothelial function evaluated by flow-mediated dilation (FMD) were assessed. Heart rates were significantly higher throughout the HH trial's experimental period than the other trials (p < 0.05). However, in the HH trial, brachial artery blood flow and shear rate did not differ from those in other trials after exercise. Plasma catecholamines (epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine) elevations in response to exercise were significantly higher in the HH trial than in the other three trials (p < 0.05). No considerable differences were observed in FMD responses among trials before and after the exercise. In conclusion, aerobic exercise in a combined hot and hypoxic environment further activated sympathetic nervous activity but did not considerably enhance blood flow, shear rate, or endothelial function.

Circulating catecholamines, endothelin-1, and nitric oxide releases do not explain the preserved FMD following acute resistance exercise in strength-trained men

PURPOSE

Acute resistance exercise decreases endothelial function in sedentary individuals but not in strength-trained (ST) individuals. However, the underlying mechanism(s) of vascular protection in ST individuals remains unclear. Herein, we compared catecholamines, endothelin-1 (ET-1), and nitric oxide (NOx) releases after acute resistance exercise between sedentary and ST individuals.

METHODS

The untrained (UT) group comprised 12 male individuals with no regular training, while the ST group comprised 12 male individuals. Participants performed a session of resistance exercise, which consisted of 3 sets of 10 repetitions at 75% of one repetition maximum. Heart rate (HR) and blood pressure were measured during resistance exercise. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD), blood pressure, HR, and blood collection were undertaken before and 10, 30, and 60 min after the resistance exercise.

RESULTS

No significant difference was found in baseline brachial artery FMD between the groups (P > 0.05). Brachial artery FMD was significantly reduced in the UT group (P < 0.05) but it was prevented in the ST group after the resistance exercise. Significant differences were found at 10, 30, and 60 min after the resistance exercise in brachial artery ΔFMD from baseline between groups (P < 0.05). Blood pressure, HR, plasma epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, serum endothelin-1, and plasma NOx responses did not differ between groups throughout the experimental period.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, preserved endothelial function in response to acute resistance exercise in ST male individuals is independent of catecholamines, ET-1, and NOx responses.

Advancements in the Regulation of Different-Intensity Exercise Interventions on Arterial Endothelial Function

Normal-functioning endothelium is crucial to maintaining vascular homeostasis and inhibiting the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. Exercise training has been proven effective in regulating arterial endothelial function, and the effect of this regulation is closely related to exercise intensity and the status of arterial endothelial function. With this review, we investigated the effects of the exercise of different intensity on the function of arterial endothelium and the underlying molecular biological mechanisms. Existing studies indicate that low-intensity exercise improves arterial endothelial function in individuals who manifest endothelial dysfunction relative to those with normal endothelial function. Most moderate-intensity exercise promotes endothelial function in individuals with both normal and impaired arterial endothelial function. Continuous high-intensity exercise can lead to impaired endothelial function, and high-intensity interval exercise can enhance both normal and impaired endothelial function. In addition, it was demonstrated that the production of vasomotor factors, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response is involved in the regulation of arterial endothelial function under different-intensity exercise interventions. We posit that this synthesis will then provide a theoretical basis for choosing the appropriate exercise intensity and optimize the prescription of clinical exercise for persons with normal and impaired endothelium.

Impact of Blood-Flow-Restricted Training on Arterial Functions and Angiogenesis-A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Despite growing evidence of the significant influence of blood-flow-restricted (BFR) training on different body functions, its impact on the vascular system, especially the arteries, is controversial. Therefore, the objective of our study was to analyze how BFR exercise, compared to other types of exercise without the restriction of blood flow, influences arterial functions and angiogenesis in adults. Studies comparing the effect of BFR versus non-BFR training on arterial parameters were divided into three categories: endothelial function, angiogenesis, and other vasculature functions. The search was based on Cochrane Library, PubMed®, and Embase, and 38 studies were included. The meta-analysis revealed a more significant improvement in flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) (p = 0.002) and the production of the primary angiogenesis biomarker vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (p = 0.009) after BFR compared to non-BFR training (p = 0.002). The analysis of the pulse wave velocity, ankle-brachial index, systolic blood pressure, and heart rate did not show significant differences in changes between BFR and non-BFR training. The other parameters examined did not have sufficient data to be included in the meta-analysis. The results obtained present trends that suggest significant impacts of BFR training on endothelial functions and angiogenesis. There is still a lack of multicenter randomized clinical trials including many participants, and such studies are necessary to confirm the advantage of BFR over non-BFR activity.

Low-Intensity Resistance Training Improves Flow-Mediated Dilation in Young Hispanic Adults

ABSTRACT

Briceño-Torres, JM, Carpio-Rivera, E, Solera-Herrera, A, Forsse, J, Grandjean, PW, and Moncada-Jiménez, J. Low-intensity resistance training improves flow-mediated dilation in young hispanic adults. J Strength Cond Res 37(2): 298-304, 2023-The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of 2 resistance exercise training (RET) intensities on brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) in sedentary males. Thirty-four men (age = 20.6 ± 1.8 years, height = 171.3 ± 5.2 cm, body mass = 65.2 ± 10.6 kg, and DXA fat mass = 22.3 ± 7.4%) were randomly assigned to a control group (no exercise CTRL, n = 12), RET at 50% of 1 repetition maximum (1RM) (RET50%, n = 12), and RET at 80% 1RM (RET80%, n = 10). The RET program was performed twice per week for 8 weeks; subjects performed the same RET exercises at similar total workloads (1920 arbitrary units [AUs] for the RET80% and 1950 AUs for the RET50%). The FMD% was measured before and after 8 weeks by ultrasound. Mixed factorial analysis of variance (3 groups × 2 measurements), effect size (ES), and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were computed for FMD%. The level of significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. A significant increase ( p = 0.001) was found on post-test FMD% in RET50% (mean = 9.9 ± 3.7%, ES = 1.9, and 95% CIs = 2.8-0.9) compared with CTRL (mean = 5.7 ± 1.7%, ES = 0.2, and 95% CIs = -0.4 to 0.8), and there were no significant differences found between RET50% and RET80% and between RET80% and CTRL. Results support the concept of training specificity and provide preliminary evidence that lower resistance and higher repetition RET elicit greater short-term reduced endothelium dysfunction than higher intensity RET at similar training volume.

Comparable effects of circuit and traditional resistance exercise on platelet α2bβ3 receptor and platelet activation and function

BACKGROUND

Resistance exercise induces thrombocytosis and increases platelet activation and function. These changes might be related to exercise variables including exercise intensity and type.

OBJECTIVE

We compared the effects of traditional resistance exercise (TRE) and circuit resistance exercise (CRE) on cellular markers of platelet activation and function.

METHODS

In this crossover study ten healthy male (mean±SD: age, 25.6±2.4 years) subjects performed TRE encompassed 3 sets of 10 repetitions at 100% of 10-RM (10 repetition maximum) for 6 exercises, and CRE protocols included 3 sets of 10 repetitions at 100% of 10-RM for all 6 exercises consecutively, in two separate weeks. To measure platelet indices, PAC1, CD41a, CD42b and CD62P three blood samples were taken before, immediately after exercise, and after 30 min recovery.

RESULTS

Lactate concentration, blood pressure, platelet count (PLT), and mean platelet volume (MPV) were significantly (p <  0.05) increased following both resistance exercise trials. Significant increases in PAC1, and CD62P; and significant reductions for CD42b and CD41a were detected following both REs (p <  0.05). However, changes in PAC1 and CD62P were significantly different between the two protocols (p <  0.05), with higher increases detected following CRE.

CONCLUSIONS

Acute RE increases platelet indices and platelet activation; and that CRE results in higher platelet activation than TRE, probably due to exercise-induced increases in shear stress.

Effect of exercise on vascular function in hypertension patients: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Objective

The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate the effect of exercise on vascular function in patients with pre- and hypertension.

Methods

A systematic review of articles retrieved via the PubMed, Embase, EBSCO, and Web of Science databases was conducted. All the randomized controlled trials published between the establishment of the databases and October 2022 were included. Studies that evaluated the effects of exercise intervention on vascular function in patients with pre- and hypertension were selected.

Results

A total of 717 subjects were included in 12 randomized controlled trials. The meta-analysis showed that in patients with pre- and hypertension, exercise can significantly reduce systolic blood pressure (SBP) (MD = -4.89; 95% CI, -7.05 to -2.73; P < 0.00001) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (MD = -3.74; 95% CI, -5.18 to -2.29; P < 0.00001) and can improve endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilatation (MD = 2.14; 95% CI, 1.71-2.61; P < 0.00001), and exercise did not reduce pulse wave velocity (PWV) (MD = 0.03, 95% CI, -0.45-0.50; P = 0.92). Regression analysis showed that changes in exercise-related vascular function were independent of subject medication status, baseline SBP, age and duration of intervention.

Conclusion

Aerobic, resistance, and high-intensity intermittent exercise all significantly improved SBP, DBP, and FMD in pre- and hypertensive patients, however, they were not effective in reducing PWV, and this effect was independent of the subject's medication status, baseline SBP, age and duration of intervention.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42022302646.

Effects of exercise modalities on decreased blood pressure in patients with hypertension

This study aimed to evaluate the acute effects of aerobic and resistance exercises on blood pressure and endothelial blood markers. We also correlated post-exercise blood pressure response with baseline cardiovascular parameters in middle-aged patients with hypertension. This cross-sectional study randomized 54 volunteers into the aerobic exercise group (AG, n = 27; 45.6 ± 7.7 years) or dynamic resistance exercise group (RG, n = 27; 45.8 ± 8.4 years). Blood marker evaluation, cardiopulmonary exercise tests, resting blood pressure monitoring, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), flow-mediated dilatation monitoring, and body composition evaluation were carried out. Exercise sessions were performed to evaluate post-exercise hypotension (PEH) and endothelial marker responses, in addition to post-exercise ABPM (ABPMex). This study is an arm of the study which was approved by the local ethics committee (No. 69373217.3.0000.5347) in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration and was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03282942). The AG performed walking/running at 60% of the reserve heart rate, while the RG performed 10 exercises with two sets of 15-20 repetitions. The mean 24 h ABPM and ABPMex values showed no significant statistical differences. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure hypotension after aerobic and dynamic resistance were -10.59 ± 5.24/-6.15 ± 6.41 mmHg and -5.56 ± 7.61/-6.20 ± 8.25 mmHg, respectively. For an up-to-7 h assessment of resting pressure, there was a positive effect in the aerobic group. The concentrations of nitrites/nitrates (NOx) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) did not change during hypotension. Moreover, PEH and ABPMex were significantly correlated with baseline health variables. Thus, when middle-aged patients with hypertension perform aerobic or resistance exercise, the NOx/ET-1 pathway does not provide the best explanation for PEH. Finally, we found associations between baseline cardiovascular variables and endothelial vasoconstrictors with PEH.

Biomolecular Effects of Dance and Dance/Movement Therapy: A Review

The positive health impacts of dance and dance/movement therapy can be seen all the way down to the molecular level. This narrative-style review illustrates this connection by presenting a collection of clinical and preclinical studies that evaluate the effects of dance activities on hormones and other small-molecule metabolites within the human body. The results of these studies show that dance activities can increase levels of nitric oxide, serotonin, estrogen hormones, and HDL cholesterol, while they can decrease levels of dopamine, serum glucose, serum triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol. Levels of cortisol can either be increased or decreased, depending on the type of dance. Many of these results parallel the biomolecular effects of traditional (non-dance) exercise activities, although some contrasting results can also be seen. The concentrations of these molecules and their distributions throughout the body impact health and a wide variety of disease states. This connection to the molecular level provides a perspective for understanding how it is that dance activities are able to affect larger-scale physiological and psychological responses and lead to the positive health outcomes that are observed in many situations.

Differences in Blood Flow Patterns and Endothelial Shear Stress at the Carotid Artery Using Different Exercise Modalities and Intensities

Endothelial dysfunction is the first pathophysiological step of atherosclerosis, which is responsible for 90% of strokes. Exercise programs aim to reduce the risk of developing stroke; however, the majority of the beneficial factors of exercise are still unknown. Endothelial shear stress (ESS) is associated with endothelial homeostasis. Unfortunately, ESS has not been characterized during different exercise modalities and intensities in the carotid artery. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine exercise-induced blood flow patterns in the carotid artery. Fourteen apparently healthy young adults (males = 7, females = 7) were recruited for this repeated measures study design. Participants completed maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) tests on a Treadmill, Cycle-ergometer, and Arm-ergometer, and 1-repetition maximum (1RM) tests of the Squat, Bench Press (Bench), and Biceps Curl (Biceps) on separate days. Thereafter, participants performed each exercise at 3 different exercise intensities (low, moderate, high) while a real-time ultrasound image and blood flow of the carotid artery was obtained. Blood flow patterns were assessed by estimating ESS via Womersley’s estimation and turbulence via Reynold’s number (Re). Data were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model. Pairwise comparisons with Holm-Bonferroni correction were conducted with Hedge’s g effect size to determine the magnitude of the difference. There was a main effect of intensity, exercise modality, and intensity * exercise modality interaction on both ESS (p < 0.001). Treadmill at a high intensity yielded the greatest ESS when compared to the other exercise modalities and intensities, while Bench Press and Biceps curls yielded the least ESS. All exercise intensities across all modalities resulted in turbulent blood flow. Clinicians must take into consideration how different exercise modalities and intensities affect ESS and Re of the carotid artery.

From Cultured Vascular Cells to Vessels: The Cellular and Molecular Basis of Vascular Dysfunction in Space

Life evolved on this planet under the pull of gravity, shielded from radiation by the magnetosphere and shaped by circadian rhythms due to Earth’s rotation on its axis. Once living beings leave such a protective environment, adaptive responses are activated to grant survival. In view of long manned mission out of Earth’s orbit, it is relevant to understand how humans adapt to space and if the responses activated might reveal detrimental in the long run. Here we review present knowledge about the effects on the vessels of various extraterrestrial factors on humans as well as in vivo and in vitro experimental models. It emerges that the vasculature activates complex adaptive responses finalized to supply oxygen and nutrients to all the tissues and to remove metabolic waste and carbon dioxide. Most studies point to oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction as mediators of vascular alterations in space. Unraveling the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in these adaptive processes might offer hints to design proper and personalized countermeasures to predict a safe future in space.

Slow-Speed Low-Intensity but Not Normal-Speed High-Intensity Resistance Exercise Maintains Endothelial Function

Purpose: High-intensity resistance exercise two or three times a week has been considered optimal for muscle hypertrophy, although it can remarkably elevate blood pressure (BP). In contrast, slow-speed resistance exercise with low intensity and tonic force generation (slow-low) can induce muscle hypertrophy without elevating BP. However, it is unclear how endothelial function changes after slow-low. Therefore, this study examined whether slow-low would maintain brachial artery endothelial function in comparison with normal-speed with high intensity resistance exercise (normal-high) and normal-speed with low-intensity resistance exercise (normal-low). Methods: Eleven healthy young men performed leg-extensions with slow-low (3 sets of 8 repetitions at 50% of 1RM), normal-high (3 sets of 8 repetitions at 80% of 1RM), and normal-low (3 sets of 8 repetitions at 50% of 1RM). Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in the brachial artery was evaluated at pre-exercise and at 10, 30, and 60 min after exercise. Result: The results showed that normal-high caused significant impairment of FMD at 30 (3.7 ± 2.7%) and 60 (3.7 ± 2.8%) min after exercise (P < .05). In contrast, slow-low and normal-low showed no significant difference from baseline. FMD was significantly lower in normal-high compared with slow-low and normal-low at 30 and 60 min after exercise (P < .05). Additionally, systolic BP was significantly higher during normal-high compared with slow-low and normal-low (P < .05). Conclusion: We concluded that slow-low did not impair brachial artery FMD concomitant with lower systolic BP, and may therefore be a useful mode of exercise training to improve muscle hypertrophy without provoking transient endothelial dysfunction.

The comparison of endothelial function of moderate intensity interval exercise with continuous exercise in healthy men

Background/aim

Materials and methods

Results

Conclusion

Resistance training increases insulin-induced vasodilation in the mesenteric artery of healthy rats

This study evaluated the ability of resistance training (RT) of moderate intensity to promote vascular changes in insulin-induced vasodilation in healthy animals. Wistar rats were divided into two groups: control (CON) and trained (eight weeks of training, performing 3 sets with 10 repetitions at 60% of maximum intensity). Forty-eight hours after the last session of the RT, the animals were sacrificed and vascular reactivity to insulin in the absence and presence of LY294002 (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors (PI3K), L-NAME (nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors) and BQ123 (endothelin A antagonist (ET-A) receptor). In addition, phenylephrine (Phe)-induced vasoconstriction in the absence and presence of L-NAME was also evaluated. The RT group showed greater vasodilation in maximal response compared to the CON group. After PI3K inhibition, vasodilation was reduced in both groups. However, when the NOS participation was evaluated, the RT group showed contraction in relation to the CON group, which was abolished by BQ123. In addition, the RT group had an increase in nitrite levels compared to the CON group. When the Phe response was evaluated, there was a reduction in tension in the RT group compared to the CON group. The results suggest that RT improves vascular reactivity.

Impact of a single bout of resistance exercise on serum Klotho in healthy young men

BACKGROUND

It has been shown that Klotho protects vascular endothelial function. Given that a single bout of resistance-exercise-induced hypertensive stimulus causes endothelial dysfunction, we postulated that acute resistance exercise would reduce serum Klotho levels. In this respect, the reduction in serum Klotho levels would be associated with the response of flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of acute resistance exercise on the Klotho response in serum. In addition, we examined the relationship between the serum Klotho and FMD responses following acute resistance exercise.

METHODS

Twelve untrained men participated in this study (20.4 ± 0.3 years). Following baseline measurements (blood pressure, blood collection, FMD), subjects performed leg extensions, which consisted of 10 repetitions for five sets at 70% of one-repetition maximum. After the exercise, measurement of blood pressure, blood collection, and FMD assessment were repeated for 60 min. We analyzed Klotho and endothelin-1 (ET-1) concentrations in blood serum.

RESULTS

As expected, the exercise significantly elevated blood pressure and led to decreased FMD (p < 0.05). However, Klotho concentrations were significantly increased following exercise (p < 0.05). No correlation was observed in Klotho and FMD responses following acute resistance exercise. However, there was a significant positive correlation between Klotho and ET-1 in response to resistance exercise (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the present study reveals that serum Klotho significantly increased following a single bout of resistance exercise. However, the increase in Klotho may not associate with the acute reduction in endothelial function.

Vascular Ageing and Aerobic Exercise

Impairment of vascular function, in particular endothelial dysfunction and large elastic artery stiffening, represents a major link between ageing and cardiovascular risk. Clinical and experimental studies identified numerous mechanisms responsible for age-related decline of endothelial function and arterial compliance. Since most of these mechanisms are related to oxidative stress or low-grade inflammation, strategies that suppress oxidative stress and inflammation could be effective for preventing age-related changes in arterial function. Indeed, aerobic physical activity, which has been shown to improve intracellular redox balance and mitochondrial health and reduce levels of systemic inflammatory markers, also improves endothelial function and arterial distensibility and reduces risk of cardiovascular diseases. The present paper provides a brief overview of processes underlying age-related changes in arterial function, as well as the mechanisms through which aerobic exercise might prevent or interrupt these processes, and thus attenuate vascular ageing.

A single bout of exercise improves vascular insulin sensitivity in adults with obesity

OBJECTIVE

This crossover study explored the impact of a single bout of exercise on insulin-stimulated responses in conduit arteries and capillaries.

METHODS

Twelve sedentary adults (49.5 [7.8] years; maximal oxygen consumption [VO₂ max]: 23.7 [5.4] mL/kg/min) with obesity (BMI 34.5 [4.3] kg/m² ) completed a control and exercise bout (70% VO₂ max to expend 400 kcal). Sixteen hours later, participants underwent a 2-hour euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp (90 mg/dL; 40 mU/m² /min) to determine vascular and metabolic insulin sensitivity. Endothelial and capillary functions were assessed by brachial artery flow-mediated dilation and contrast-enhanced ultrasound, respectively. Metabolized glucose infusion rate, substrate oxidation (indirect calorimetry), nonoxidative glucose disposal (NOGD), and inflammation were also determined.

RESULTS

Exercise increased insulin-stimulated preocclusion diameter (p = 0.01) and microvascular blood flow (condition effect: p = 0.04) compared with control. Furthermore, exercise improved metabolic insulin sensitivity by 21%, which paralleled rises in NOGD (p = 0.05) and decreases in soluble receptors for advanced glycation end products (condition effect: p = 0.01). Interestingly, changes in NOGD were related to increased insulin-stimulated microvascular blood flow (r = 0.57, p = 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

A single bout of exercise increases vascular insulin sensitivity in adults with obesity. Additional work is needed to determine vascular responses following different doses of exercise in order to design lifestyle prescriptions for reducing chronic disease risk.

Effect of aerobic and resistance exercise training on inflammation, endothelial function and ambulatory blood pressure in middle-aged hypertensive patients

OBJECTIVE

The current randomized controlled trial tested the hypothesis that both aerobic training and dynamic resistance training will improve inflammation, endothelial function and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) in middle-aged adults with hypertension, but aerobic training would be more effective.

METHODS

Forty-two hypertensive patients on at least one antihypertensive medication (19 men/23 women; 30-59 years of age) were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of supervised aerobic training (n = 15), resistance training (n = 15) or a nonexercise control (n = 12) group. Inflammation, endothelial function, 24-h ABP and related measures were evaluated at pre and postintervention.

RESULTS

We found that aerobic training and resistance training were well tolerated. Both aerobic training and resistance training reduced daytime systolic ABP (-7.2 ± 7.9 and -4.4 ± 5.8 mmHg; P < 0.05) and 24-h systolic ABP (-5.6 ± 6.2 and -3.2 ± 6.4 mmHg; P < 0.05). aerobic training and resistance training both improved brachial artery flow-mediated dilation by 1.7 ± 2.8 and 1.4 ± 2.6%, respectively (7.59 ± 3.36 vs. 9.26 ± 2.93 and 7.24 ± 3.18 vs. 8.58 ± 2.37; pre vs. post P < 0.05). However, only aerobic training decreased markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1) and endothelin-1 and increased nitrite and nitrate levels (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Healthcare providers should continue to emphasize aerobic training for hypertension management given the established role of nitric oxide, endothelin-1 and chronic low-level inflammation in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. However, our study demonstrates that resistance training should also be encouraged for middle-aged hypertensive patients. Our results also suggest that even if patients are on antihypertensive medications, regular aerobic training and resistance training are beneficial for blood pressure control and cardiovascular disease risk reduction.

Acute flywheel exercise does not impair the brachial artery vasodilation in healthy men of varying aerobic fitness

BACKGROUND

The cardiovascular response to variable load exercise on a flywheel ergometer is still unknown.

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the effects of flywheel exercise on cardiovascular response and brachial artery vasodilation capacity in healthy, active men.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, nineteen men (20-57 years old) completed three laboratory visits, including a ramp exercise test to determine their maximal oxygen uptake JOURNAL/blpmo/04.03/00126097-202106000-00008/inline-graphic1/v/2021-04-27T091817Z/r/image-tiff max, and exercise intervention on a flywheel ergometer set at 0.075 kg·m2 moment of inertia. After the ramp test cessation, all participants were allocated into aerobically untrained (n = 10) and trained (n = 9) groups. Throughout the flywheel exercise, cardiovascular demands were continuously monitored via Finapres, while a pre/postflow-mediated dilation (FMD) assessment was performed using ultrasound imaging.

RESULTS

There were no differences observed between the groups in their anthropometrics, age or resting brachial artery diameter, while the JOURNAL/blpmo/04.03/00126097-202106000-00008/inline-graphic2/v/2021-04-27T091817Z/r/image-tiff max was ~15% higher (P = 0.001) in trained compared to aerobically untrained group. The cardiovascular response to the flywheel exercise was similar between the groups, with peak mean arterial pressure and heart rate readings reaching ~160 mmHg and ~140 bpm, respectively. The flywheel exercise did not impair the FMD (%) response, which was comparable between the groups (P = 0.256). When these data were pooled, the regression analysis showed an inverse relationship among FMD (%), age (β = -0.936, P = 0.001) and JOURNAL/blpmo/04.03/00126097-202106000-00008/inline-graphic3/v/2021-04-27T091817Z/r/image-tiffmax. (β = -0.359, P = 0.045).

CONCLUSION

Although aerobic fitness alone does not directly explain the FMD response to flywheel exercise, aerobically untrained individuals, as they get older, tend to have lower brachial artery FMD.

Exercise modality, but not exercise training, alters the acute effect of exercise on endothelial function in healthy men

We used a within-subject crossover design to examine the impact of exercise modality, i.e., resistance (RT) and endurance (END), on the acute impact of exercise on endothelial function. Then, we examined whether a 4-wk period of chronic exercise training altered the acute exercise-induced change in endothelial function in healthy individuals. Thirty-four healthy, young men (21 ± 2 yr) reported to our laboratory and completed assessment of endothelial function [using the brachial artery flow-mediated dilation test (FMD)] before and immediately after a single bout of RT (leg-extension) or END (cycling). Subsequently, participants completed a 4-wk period of training (12 sessions), followed by evaluation of the FMD before and after a single bout of exercise. Following a 3-wk washout, participants repeated these experiments with the different exercise modality (in a balanced crossover design). An exercise × modality interaction effect was found (P < 0.001). Post hoc pairwise analyses revealed a decrease in FMD after END (P < 0.001) but not after RT (P = 0.06). Four weeks of exercise training improved resting FMD after END and RT (P = 0.04) but did not alter the acute effect of exercise on FMD (exercise × modality × training effect: P = 0.63), an effect independent of the modality of exercise (exercise × training interaction: P = 0.46 and P = 0.11 in RT and END, respectively). These distinct changes in FMD following acute exercise may relate to the different prolonged physiological responses induced by endurance versus resistance exercise. Specifically, endurance exercise, but not resistance exercise, causes a decrease in brachial artery endothelial function, which was unaffected by 4 wk of chronic exercise training.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We found that resistance and endurance exercise modalities lead to different endothelial function responses after a single bout of exercise. Endothelial function increased after an acute bout of resistance exercise, whereas it decreased after an acute bout of endurance exercise. Four weeks of chronic exercise training did not affect the acute endothelial function response.