Effects of l-arginine supplementation associated with continuous or interval aerobic training on chronic heart failure rats.

Objective: Chronic heart failure (CHF) is related with exercise intolerance and impaired nitric oxide (NO) production, which can lead to several functional capacity alterations. Considering the possible superiority of aerobic interval training compared to continuous training and the capacity of l-arginine to restore the NO pathway, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether these treatments are beneficial to exercise capacity, muscle mass preservation and hemodynamic, inflammatory and oxidative stress parameters in CHF rats.

Methods: Thirty-eight male Wistar rats post 6weeks of myocardial infarction (MI) surgery were randomly assigned into 6 CHF groups: sedentary (SED, n=6); SED+Arg (n=7); ACT (n=8); ACT+Arg (n=5); AIT (n=7); AIT+Arg (n=5).

Functional capacity in a rat model of heart failure: impact of myocardial infarct size.

What is the central question of this study? To the best of our knowledge, no studies have evaluated oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide production and exercise tolerance in rats that have undergone myocardial infarction classified by myocardial infarct (MI) size. What is the main finding and its importance? Oxygen uptake and exercise intolerance are MI size dependent, and classification based on MI size can distinguish rats with functional capacity impairment. Rats with a large MI (>40% of the left ventricle) might provide a good model for the testing of new therapies that have the potential to modify the variables of functional capacity.

Maximal oxygen uptake and exercise tolerance are improved in rats with heart failure subjected to low-level laser therapy associated with resistance training.

Exercise tolerance and maximal oxygen uptake (VO) are reduced in heart failure (HF). The influence of combined resistance training (RT) and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on exercise tolerance and VO in HF has not yet been explored. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of combined RT and LLLT on VO and exercise tolerance in rats with HF induced by myocardial infarction (MI).

Long-term low-level laser therapy promotes an increase in maximal oxygen uptake and exercise performance in a dose-dependent manner in Wistar rats.

The use of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) represents a new intervention modality that has been explored to enhance exercise performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of LLLT (GaAIAs-850 nm) at different doses on VO2max and on exercise performance in rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: "placebo" rats (P-LLLT, n = 10), rats at a dose of 0.