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Acute effects of continuous and interval low-intensity exercise on arterial stiffness in healthy young men

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Abstract

Purpose

To examine and compare systemic arterial stiffness responses in humans to acute continuous and interval low-intensity exercise.

Methods

Fifteen healthy young men (21.2 ± 0.4 years) underwent non-exercise control (CON), continuous exercise (CE), and interval exercise trial (IE) in a randomized balanced self-control crossover design. Systemic arterial stiffness (Cardio-ankle vascular index, CAVI) was measured at baseline (BL), immediately after (0 min) and 40 min after exercise in CE and IE trials, and at corresponding time points in CON trial. Subjects cycled continuously for 30 min at 35 % heart rate reserve after BL measurement in CE trial, whereas in IE trial, subjects cycled two bouts of 15-min separated by a 20-min rest at the same intensity.

Results

There were no significant CAVI changes with time in CON trial (6.7 ± 0.1, 6.7 ± 0.1, 6.6 ± 0.1 at BL, 0 and 40 min, respectively). In CE trial, CAVI decreased immediately after exercise (0 min) and returned to baseline after 40 min of recovery (6.5 ± 0.1, 5.5 ± 0.2, 6.4 ± 0.1 at BL, 0 and 40 min, respectively). IE elicited similar CAVI reduction from 6.7 ± 0.1 at baseline to 5.6 ± 0.2 at 0 min: however, CAVI at 40 min remained significantly low compared to that of CON trial at corresponding time point (6.0 ± 0.1 vs. 6.6 ± 0.1, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Both acute continuous and interval low-intensity exercise elicits transient improvement in systemic arterial stiffness in humans. Despite equivalent exercise intensity and duration, interval exercise resulted in improved arterial stiffness for longer duration.

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Abbreviations

baPWV:

Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity

BL:

Baseline

BMI:

Body mass index

BP:

Blood pressure

CAVI:

Cardio-ankle vascular index

CE:

Continuous exercise

CON:

Control

DIA:

Diastolic blood pressure

HIT:

High-intensity interval training

HRR:

Heart rate reserve

IE:

Interval exercise

LB:

Left brachial

RB:

Right brachial

SYS:

Systolic blood pressure

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (31371206), Science and Technology Development Program of Beijing Municipal Commission of Education (KM201310029003), and Beijing Key Lab Funding (2011BJKL-01).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiovascular Health Laboratory, Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, 11 Bei San Huan Xi Road, Beijing, 100191, People’s Republic of China

    Hailin Wang, Taiming Zhang, Weili Zhu, Hao Wu & Shoufu Yan

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  1. Hailin Wang
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  2. Taiming Zhang
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  3. Weili Zhu
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  4. Hao Wu
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  5. Shoufu Yan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Weili Zhu.

Additional information

Communicated by Massimo Pagani.

H. Wang and T. Zhang contributed equally to this study.

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Wang, H., Zhang, T., Zhu, W. et al. Acute effects of continuous and interval low-intensity exercise on arterial stiffness in healthy young men. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 1385–1392 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2869-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2869-y

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