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Acute effects of hyperglycaemia with and without exercise on endothelial function in healthy young men

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Abstract

Post-prandial hyperglycaemia impairs endothelial function as evaluated by brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Exercise is an intervention to protect against cardiovascular disease and to improve FMD. In this study, we examined whether the effect of acute hyperglycaemia on endothelial function in healthy young men is restored by aerobic exercise. Using a counterbalanced, randomized crossover design, we measured the brachial artery FMD at baseline and 1, 2, 3 and 4 h after 75 g glucose ingestion in 11 healthy young men, with and without a single bout of aerobic exercise. Brachial artery FMD declined from 11.4 ± 3.8% at baseline to 7.3 ± 3.4% 1 h after oral glucose ingestion, and returned to baseline after 4 h. When the oral glucose ingestion was followed immediately by 45 min of treadmill exercise at an intensity of 60% maximal oxygen uptake, FMD demonstrated no significant decrease (11.8 ± 2.5, 11.3 ± 2.8, 12.2 ± 2.7, 13.5 ± 3.5, and 12.6 ± 2.4% at baseline and 4 h after ingestion, respectively). The results indicate that the aerobic exercise restores the impaired FMD induced by oral glucose ingestion.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Scientific Research Common Program of Beijing Municipal Commission of Education (NO.: KM200610029002).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, 38# Xue Yuan Road, Beijing, 100083, China

    Weili Zhu, Yingjie Yu & Keji Li

  2. Department of Anatomy, Capital Institute of Physical Education, 11# Bei San Huan Xi Road, Beijing, 100088, China

    Weili Zhu

  3. Department of 11, Institute of Space Medical Engineering, 26# Bei Qing Road, Beijing, 100094, China

    Chongfa Zhong

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  1. Weili Zhu
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Correspondence to Keji Li.

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Zhu, W., Zhong, C., Yu, Y. et al. Acute effects of hyperglycaemia with and without exercise on endothelial function in healthy young men. Eur J Appl Physiol 99, 585–591 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-006-0378-3

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