Aerobic exercise training enhances cerebrovascular pulsatility response to acute aerobic exercise in older adults

The brain\u27s low resistance ensures a robust blood flow throughout systole and diastole and is susceptible to flow pulsatility. Increased cerebral pulsatility contributes to the progression of cerebrovascular disease. Although aerobic exercise affects vascular function, little is known about the effect of exercise on the cerebral pulsatility index in older adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of exercise training on the post‐exercise cerebral pulsatility response in older adults. Ten healthy older adults participated in a 12‐week exercise training intervention. Before and after the intervention, we measured the pulsatility index of the middle cerebral artery by means of transcranial Doppler method at baseline and following a cycling exercise bout performed at an intensity corresponding to the ventilatory threshold. Before exercise training, there was no significant change in the cerebral pulsatility response to an acute bout of cycling exercise. However, after the intervention, cerebral pulsatility decreased significantly following 30 min of an acute cycling exercise (P < 0.05). This study demonstrated that cerebral pulsatility index did not change following an acute bout of cycling exercise at an intensity corresponding to ventilatory threshold, but that, after 12 weeks of exercise training, cerebral pulsatility index was reduced at 30 min after a single bout of cycling exercise. These results suggest that long‐term aerobic exercise training may enhance the post‐exercise reduction in pulsatility index in older adults

Sexual Function Is an Indicator of Central Arterial Stiffness and Arterial Stiffness Gradient in Japanese Adult Men

BackgroundAs arterial stiffness increases in the absence of subjective symptoms, a personal indicator that reflects increased risk of cardiovascular disease is necessary. Penile erection is regulated by vascular function, and atherosclerosis affects the penile artery earlier than it affects the coronary and carotid arteries. Therefore, we hypothesized that deterioration of erectile function could be a marker of increased risk for cardiovascular disease. To test our hypothesis, we assessed erectile function and arterial stiffness in a cross‐sectional study.Methods and ResultsCarotid‐femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), brachial‐ankle PWV, femoral‐ankle PWV, and arterial stiffness gradient (PWV ratio: carotid‐femoral PWV/femoral‐ankle PWV) were measured as indexes of central, systemic, and peripheral arterial stiffness and peripheral organ damage, respectively, in 317 adult men. In addition, erectile function was assessed by using the questionnaire International Index of Erectile Function 5 (a descending score indicates worsening of erectile function). The scores of male sexual function were inversely correlated with carotid‐femoral PWV (rs=−0.41), brachial‐ankle PWV (rs=−0.35), femoral‐ankle PWV (rs=−0.19), and PWV ratio (rs=−0.33). Furthermore, multivariate linear regression analyses revealed that International Index of Erectile Function 5 scores were significantly associated with carotid‐femoral PWV (β=−0.22) and PWV ratio (β=−0.25), but not with brachial‐ankle PWV and femoral‐ankle PWV.ConclusionsOur results indicated that erectile function is independently associated with central arterial stiffness and peripheral organ damage. These findings suggest that male sexual function could be an easily identifiable and independent marker of increased central arterial stiffness and peripheral organ damage

Effects of aerobic exercise training on circulating angiopoietin-like protein 2 in overweight and obese men: a pilot study

Background and objective: Angiopoietin-like protein 2 (ANGPTL2) is a pro-inflammatory adipokine that is upregulated in obesity and plays a role in the progression of cardiometabolic diseases, including diabetes and atherosclerosis. Aerobic exercise is one of the effective strategies for reducing the levels of various pro-inflammatory biomolecules in obese individuals. However, the effects of aerobic exercise training on circulating ANGPTL2 levels in obese individuals remain unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise training on serum ANGPTL2 levels in overweight and obese men. Material and methods: Twenty overweight and obese men (age, 49 ±10 years; body mass index, 27.4 ± 2.2 kg/m2) completed a 12-week aerobic exercise training program (60–85% Heart ratem⁢a⁢x, 40–60 min/day, 3 days/week). Before and after the exercise program, serum ANGPTL2 levels were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Daily step counts and the different physical activities based on the intensity were assessed using a triaxial accelerometer. Results: Serum ANGPTL2 levels were significantly decreased after the 12-week aerobic exercise training program ((3.0 ± 0.6) vs. (2.7 ± 0.7) ng/mL, P < 0.05). Daily step counts ((8362 ± 4551) vs. (10357 ± 3168) steps/day, P < 0.05) and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) time ((58 ± 45) vs. (76 ± 37) min/day, P < 0.001) were significantly increased after the exercise intervention. The changes in serum ANGPTL2 levels were negatively correlated with corresponding changes in daily step counts (partial r = –0.49, P < 0.05) and MVPA time (partial r = –0.47, P < 0.05) after adjustment for age and accelerometer wear time. Conlcusion: These findings collectively suggest that aerobic exercise training, in particular an increase in MVPA, can be associated with decreased circulating levels of ANGPTL2 in overweight and obese men

Influence of acute high-intensity exercise on salivary nitric oxide levels

This study, employing an exercise versus control crossover design, was conducted to investigate the influence of acute high-intensity exercise on salivary nitric oxide (NO) levels. Nine healthy males (aged 23.8 ± 1.4 years) performed ergometer exercise at 80%VO2peak for 60 min, whereas controls sat at rest for 60 min. Saliva samples were collected before (Pre: 0800 h) and after (Post 0-h: 0900 h, Post 1-h: 1000 h, Post 2-h: 1100 h, Post 3-h: 1200 h) the interventions. Salivary NO levels were determined by colorimetric assay. It was found that the salivary NO levels in controls were decreased (P < 0.05) at Post 0-h (−94 ± 15), Post 1-h (−80 ± 20), Post 2-h (−92 ± 34) and Post 3-h (−145 ± 39) relative to the Pre values. Under exercise conditions, salivary NO levels did not change after high-intensity ergometer exercise relative to the Pre values. Thus, the response of salivary NO levels appeared to differ between high-intensity ergometer exercise and inactivity, that exercise-related stress induces the production of salivary NO

High Salt Diet Impacts the Risk of Sarcopenia Associated with Reduction of Skeletal Muscle Performance in the Japanese Population

The World Health Organization has recommended 5 g/day as dietary reference intakes for salt. In Japan, the averages for men and women were 11.0 g/day and 9.3 g/day, respectively. Recently, it was reported that amounts of sodium accumulation in skeletal muscles of older people were significantly higher than those in younger people. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the risk of sarcopenia with decreased muscle mass and strength was related to the amount of salt intake. In addition, we investigated its involvement with renalase. Four groups based on age and salt intake (&ldquo;younger low-salt,&rdquo; &ldquo;younger high-salt,&rdquo; &ldquo;older low-salt,&rdquo; and &ldquo;older high-salt&rdquo;) were compared. Stratifying by age category, body fat percentage significantly increased in high-salt groups in both younger and older people. Handgrip strength/body weight and chair rise tests of the older high-salt group showed significant reduction compared to the older low-salt group. However, there was no significant difference in renalase concentrations in plasma. The results suggest that high-salt intake may lead to fat accumulation and muscle weakness associated with sarcopenia. Therefore, efforts to reduce salt intake may prevent sarcopenia