Oral inorganic nitrate ([Formula: see text]) supplementation increases nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and may improve muscular power in males and females, although data in females are limited. Estrogen increases NO bioavailability and fluctuates throughout the menstrual cycle, with low levels in the early follicular (EF) phase and peaking during the late follicular (LF) phase. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of [Formula: see text] supplementation on isokinetic peak power, maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) force, muscular endurance, and recovery from fatigue in healthy young females during the EF and LF phases of the menstrual cycle.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInorganic nitrate ([Formula: see text]) supplementation increases nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and may improve muscular power and endurance, although most studies are in males. Therefore, the present double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study examined the effects of [Formula: see text] supplementation on isokinetic peak power, maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) force, muscular endurance (time-to-task failure; TTF), and recovery from fatigue in young females ( = 12) and males ( = 14). Participants consumed ∼13 mmol [Formula: see text] [beetroot juice (BRJ)], or an identical [Formula: see text]-depleted beverage placebo (PL), for ∼3 days and 2 h before testing visits.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To develop a method for quantifying the fatty acid composition (FAC) of human epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) using accelerated MRI and identify its potential for detecting proinflammatory biomarkers in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
Methods: A multi-echo radial gradient-echo sequence was developed for accelerated imaging during a breath hold using a locally low-rank denoising technique to reconstruct undersampled images. FAC mapping was achieved by fitting the multi-echo images to a multi-resonance complex signal model based on triglyceride characterization.
Young individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) display peripheral vascular and autonomic nervous system dysfunction, two factors potentially stemming from a redox imbalance. It is currently unclear if these aforementioned factors, observed at rest, alter peripheral haemodynamic responses to exercise in this population. This study examined haemodynamic responses to handgrip exercise in young individuals with PTSD following acute antioxidant (AO) supplementation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDietary nitrate (NO) is a widely used supplement purported to provide beneficial effects during exercise. Most studies to date include predominantly males. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate if there is a sex-dependent effect of NO supplementation on exercise outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMenopause is associated with reduced nitric oxide bioavailability and vascular function. Although exercise is known to improve vascular function, this is blunted in estrogen-deficient females post-menopause (PM). Here, we examined the effects of acute exercise at differing intensities with and without inorganic nitrate (NO) supplementation on vascular function in females PM.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOral inorganic nitrate (NO) supplementation has been shown to increase bioavailable NO and provide potential ergogenic benefits in males; however, data in females is scarce. Estrogen is known to increase endogenous NO bioavailability and to fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle (MC), being lowest in the early follicular (EF) phase and highest during the late follicular (LF) phase. This study examined the effects of oral NO supplementation on exercise economy, endurance capacity, and vascular health in young females across the MC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Inorganic nitrate (NO) supplementation is purported to benefit short-term exercise performance, but it is unclear whether NO improves longer-term exercise training responses (such as improvements in VO or time to exhaustion (TTE)) versus exercise training alone. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the effects of NO supplementation combined with exercise training on VO and TTE, and to identify potential factors that may impact outcomes.
Methods: Electronic databases (PubMed, Medscape, and Web of Science) were searched for articles published through June 2022 with article inclusion determined a priori as: (1) randomized placebo-controlled trials, (2) exercise training lasted at least three weeks, (3) treatment groups received identical exercise training, (4) treatment groups had matched VO at baseline.
Purpose: Adequate, robust vascular responses to passive and active movement represent two distinct components linked to normal, healthy cardiovascular function. Currently, limited research exists determining if these vascular responses are altered in premenopausal females (PMF) when compared across sex or menstrual cycle phase.
Methods: Vascular responses to passive leg movement (PLM) and handgrip (HG) exercise were assessed in PMF ( n = 21) and age-matched men ( n = 21).
This study sought to determine if high sodium (HS) intake in salt resistant (SR) individuals attenuates upper limb arterial dilation in response to reactive (occlusion) and active (exercise) hyperemia, two stimuli with varying vasodilatory mechanisms, and the role of oxidative stress in this response. Ten young, SR participants (9 males, 1 female) consumed a 7-day HS (6,900 mg/day) and a 7-day recommended sodium intake (RI: 2,300 mg/day) diet in a randomized order. On the last day of each diet, brachial artery (BA) function was evaluated via reactive (RH-FMD: 5 min of cuff occlusion) and active [handgrip (HG) exercise] hyperemia after consumption of both placebo (PL) and antioxidants (AO).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Young non-Hispanic black (BL) males have displayed lower blood flow (BF) and vascular conductance (VC), but intact functional sympatholysis, during upper limb exercise when compared to non-Hispanic white (WH) males. This study sought to explore if similar differences were also present in the lower limbs.
Methods: Thirteen young BL males and thirteen WH males completed one visit comprised of rhythmic lower limb (plantar flexion) exercise as well as upper limb (handgrip) exercise for a limb-specific comparison.
Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol
July 2021
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with an increase in risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The goal of this study was to determine if peripheral vascular dysfunction, a precursor to CVD, was present in young adults with PTSD, and if an acute antioxidant (AO) supplementation could modify this potential PTSD-induced vascular dysfunction. Thirteen individuals with PTSD were recruited for this investigation and were compared with 35 age- and sex-matched controls (CTRL).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Lower limb microvascular dysfunction resulting from prolonged sitting (PS) bouts has been revealed to occur independent of sex. Although acute antioxidant supplementation has been reported to blunt conduit artery dysfunction following PS in young males, it is unknown if this protective effect extends to the microvasculature or is relevant in young females, who possess intrinsic vascular protective mechanisms specific to antioxidant defense. Therefore, this study employed an acute antioxidant supplementation to further examine sex differences during PS with a specific focus on microvascular function.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNew Findings: What is the central question of this study? We sought to investigate whether young adults reporting low sleep quality possessed lower vascular function and altered autonomic nervous system modulation when compared with young adults reporting high sleep quality. What is the main finding and its importance? The study revealed that in young adults reporting low sleep quality, neither vascular nor autonomic function was significantly different when compared with young adults reporting high sleep quality. These findings suggest that young adults are either not substantially impacted by or can adequately adapt to the negative consequences commonly associated with poor sleep.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: This study sought to determine the impact of an acute prior bout of high-intensity interval aerobic exercise on attenuating the vascular dysfunction associated with a prolonged sedentary bout.
Methods: Ten young (24 ± 1 y) healthy males completed two 3-hour sessions of prolonged sitting with (SIT-EX) and without (SIT) a high-intensity interval aerobic exercise session performed immediately prior. Prior to and 3 hours into the sitting bout, leg vascular function was assessed with the passive leg movement technique, and blood samples were obtained from the lower limb to evaluate changes in oxidative stress (malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase) and inflammation (interleukin-6).
New Finding: What is the central question of this study? This study sought to determine whether prior upper limb aerobic training can attenuate the vascular dysfunction resulting from negative alteration of blood flow patterns. What is the main finding and its importance? We demonstrated that the microvasculature of young men with prior upper limb aerobic training (rowing) was equally susceptible to negatively altered blood flow patterns when compared with untrained control subjects. This finding reveals that aerobic training does not provide adequate protection against this type of vascular insult, highlighting the importance of reducing known vascular insults regardless of training status.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMed Sci Sports Exerc
October 2019
Unlabelled: Vascular function and blood flow responses to upper limb exercise are differentially altered in response to different exercise training modalities. Rowing is a unique exercise modality that incorporates the upper limbs and can significantly augment upper limb endurance, strength, and power capacity.
Purpose: This study sought to determine whether vascular function and blood flow regulation during handgrip exercise are altered in row-trained males.
This study examined if the degree of aerobic training protects against the lower limb vascular dysfunction associated with a prolonged sitting bout. Ten young, aerobically trained (AT) and 10 young, untrained (UT) individuals completed a prolonged (3 h) sitting bout. Leg vascular function was measured prior to and at 1.
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