Both antioxidant supplementation and exercise training have been identified as interventions which may reduce oxidative stress and thus improve cardiovascular health, but the interaction of these interventions on arterial BP (blood pressure) and vascular function has not been studied in older humans. Thus in six older (71±2 years) mildly hypertensive men, arterial BP was evaluated non-invasively at rest and during small muscle mass (knee-extensor) exercise with and without a pharmacological dose of oral antioxidants (vitamins C and E, and α-lipoic acid). The efficacy of the antioxidant intervention to decrease the plasma free radical concentration was verified via EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance) spectroscopy, while changes in endothelial function in response to exercise training and antioxidant administration were evaluated via FMD (flow-mediated vasodilation). Subjects were re-evaluated after a 6-week aerobic exercise training programme. Prior to training, acute antioxidant administration did not change resting arterial BP or FMD. Six weeks of knee-extensor exercise training reduced systolic BP (from 150±8 mmHg at pre-training to 138±3 mmHg at post-training) and diastolic BP (from 91±5 mmHg at pre-training to 79±3 mmHg at post-training), and improved FMD (1.5±1 to 4.9±1% for pre- and post-training respectively). However, antioxidant administration after exercise training negated these improvements, returning subjects to a hypertensive state and blunting training-induced improvements in FMD. In conclusion, the paradoxical effects of these interventions suggest a need for caution when exercise and acute antioxidant supplementation are combined in elderly mildly hypertensive individuals.
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March 2009
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Research Article|
February 02 2009
Oral antioxidants and cardiovascular health in the exercise-trained and untrained elderly: a radically different outcome
D. Walter Wray;
*Department of Medicine, University of California La Jolla, CA 92093, U.S.A.
†Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84148, U.S.A.
‡Geriatric Research and Clinical Center, Salt Lake City Veteran's Administration Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT 84148, U.S.A.
Correspondence: Dr D. Walter Wray (email [email protected]).
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Abhimanyu Uberoi;
Abhimanyu Uberoi
*Department of Medicine, University of California La Jolla, CA 92093, U.S.A.
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Lesley Lawrenson;
Lesley Lawrenson
*Department of Medicine, University of California La Jolla, CA 92093, U.S.A.
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Damian M. Bailey;
Damian M. Bailey
§Department of Health, Sport and Science, University of Glamorgan, Pontypridd CF37 1DL, U.K.
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Russell S. Richardson
Russell S. Richardson
*Department of Medicine, University of California La Jolla, CA 92093, U.S.A.
†Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84148, U.S.A.
‡Geriatric Research and Clinical Center, Salt Lake City Veteran's Administration Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT 84148, U.S.A.
∥Department of Exercise & Sport Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84148, U.S.A.
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
July 23 2008
Revision Received:
August 27 2008
Accepted:
September 16 2008
Accepted Manuscript online:
September 16 2008
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2009 Biochemical Society
2009
Clin Sci (Lond) (2009) 116 (5): 433–441.
Article history
Received:
July 23 2008
Revision Received:
August 27 2008
Accepted:
September 16 2008
Accepted Manuscript online:
September 16 2008
Citation
D. Walter Wray, Abhimanyu Uberoi, Lesley Lawrenson, Damian M. Bailey, Russell S. Richardson; Oral antioxidants and cardiovascular health in the exercise-trained and untrained elderly: a radically different outcome. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 March 2009; 116 (5): 433–441. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20080337
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