Reproducible improvement in endothelial function following two separate periods of high-intensity interval training in young men

Childhood psychosocial stress is linked with impaired vascular endothelial function, lower SIRT1, and oxidative stress in young adulthood

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are psychosocial stressors that occur during sensitive developmental windows and are associated with increased lifetime cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in a dose-dependent manner. Vascular endothelial dysfunction is a pathophysiological mechanism that promotes hypertension and CVD and may be a mechanism by which ACEs contribute to lifetime CVD risk. We examined whether exposure to ACEs is associated with reduced vascular endothelial function (VEF) in otherwise healthy, young adult women (20.7 ± 3 yr) with (ACE⁺) versus without (ACE^-) ACEs, explored whether differences in circulating sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) or systemic oxidative stress could explain ACEs-related differences in VEF, and examined the ability of a pilot, 8-wk exercise intervention to augment VEF and SIRT1 or reduce oxidized LDL cholesterol (oxLDL) in ACE⁺ young adult women. Forty-two otherwise healthy young adults completed this study. Prior to the intervention, VEF (P = 0.002) and SIRT1 (P = 0.004) were lower in the ACE⁺ than ACE^- group, but oxLDL concentrations were not different (P = 0.77). There were also significant relationships (P ≤ 0.04) among flow-mediated dilation (FMD), SIRT1, and oxLDL in the ACE⁺, but not ACE^- group. Adjusting for circulating SIRT1 and oxLDL reduced the differences in FMD observed between groups (P = 0.10), but only SIRT1 was a significant adjuster of the means (P < 0.05). Finally, the exercise intervention employed was unable to enhance VEF or SIRT1 in the ACE⁺ exercise group. Our data suggest that ACEs likely increase susceptibility to hypertension and CVD by causing endothelial dysfunction, perhaps through a SIRT1 pathway-related mechanism.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our study provides novel evidence that young adult women with moderate-to-severe adverse childhood experience (ACE) exposure present impaired endothelial function and lower circulating sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) concentrations than age-matched controls. However, an 8-wk exercise intervention was unable to augment endothelial function or SIRT1 concentrations in a subset of those with ACEs. Our data suggest that ACEs-related impairments in endothelial function may be secondary to decreased NO bioavailability via SIRT1 and/or oxidative stress-related mechanisms.

Low-to-Moderate-Intensity Resistance Exercise Is More Effective than High-Intensity at Improving Endothelial Function in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Aerobic exercise has been confirmed to improve endothelial function (EF). However, the effect of resistance exercise (RE) on EF remains controversial. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to determine the effect of RE and its intensities on EF. We searched Web of Science, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Wiley Online Library, and included 15 articles (17 trials) for the synthesis. Overall, RE intervention significantly improved flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) in brachial artery (SMD = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.47, 1.05; p < 0.00001), which represents improved EF. Meta-regression showed that the RE intensity was correlated with changes in FMD (Coef. = -0.274, T = -2.18, p = 0.045). We found both intensities of RE improved FMD, but the effect size for the low- to moderate-intensity (30-70%1RM) was bigger (SMD = 1.02; 95% CI: 0.60, 1.43; p < 0.0001) than for the high-intensity (≥70%1RM; SMD = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.21, 0.74; p = 0.005). We further noticed that RE had a beneficial effect (SMD = 0.61; 95% CI: 0.13, 1.09; p = 0.01) on the brachial artery baseline diameter at rest (BADrest), and the age variable was correlated with the changes in BADrest after RE (Coef. = -0.032, T = -2.33, p = 0.038). Young individuals (<40 years) presented with a bigger effect size for BADrest (SMD = 1.23; 95% CI: 0.30, 2.15; p = 0.009), while middle-aged to elderly (≥40 years) were not responsive to RE (SMD = 0.07; 95% CI: -0.28, 0.42; p = 0.70). Based on our findings, we conclude that RE intervention can improve the EF, and low- to moderate-intensity is more effective than high-intensity.

Inorganic nitrate supplementation attenuates conduit artery retrograde and oscillatory shear in older adults

Aging causes deleterious changes in resting conduit artery shear patterns and reduced blood flow during exercise partially attributable to reduced nitric oxide (NO). Inorganic nitrate increases circulating NO bioavailability and may, therefore, improve age-associated changes in shear rate as well as exercise hyperemia. Ten older adults (age: 67 ± 3 yr) consumed 4.03 mmol nitrate and 0.29 mmol nitrite (active) or devoid of both (placebo) daily for 4 wk in a randomized, double-blinded, crossover fashion. Brachial artery diameter (D) and blood velocity (V_mean) were measured via Doppler ultrasound at rest for the characterization of shear profile as well as during two handgrip exercise trials (4 and 8 kg) for calculation of forearm blood flow (V_mean × cross-sectional area, FBF) and conductance [FBF/mean arterial pressure, forearm vascular conductance (FVC)]. Plasma [nitrate] and [nitrite] increased following active (P < 0.05 for both) but not placebo (P = 0.68 and 0.40, respectively) supplementation. Neither mean nor antegrade shear rate changed following either supplement (beverage-by-time P = 0.14 and 0.21, respectively). Retrograde (-13.4 ± 7.0 to -9.7 ± 6.8·s^-1) and oscillatory (0.20 ± 0.08 to 0.15 ± 0.09 A.U., P < 0.05 for both) shear decreased following active, but not placebo (P = 0.81 and 0.70, respectively), supplementation. The FBF response (Δ from rest) to neither 4-kg nor 8-kg trials changed following either supplement (beverage-by-time P = 0.53 and 0.11, respectively). Similarly, no changes were observed in FVC responses to 4-kg or 8-kg trials (beverage-by-time P = 0.23 and 0.07, respectively). These data indicate that inorganic nitrate supplementation improves conduit artery shear profiles, but not exercise hyperemia, in older adults.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We report for the first time, to our knowledge, that 4 wk of inorganic nitrate supplementation attenuates retrograde and oscillatory shear in the brachial artery of older adults. However, this was not associated with greater hyperemic or vasodilatory responses to exercise. In sum, these data highlight favorable changes in shear patterns with aging, which may reduce the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.