Exercise for Arterial Flexibility: Can It Keep Your Blood Vessels Young?
Worried about arterial stiffness as you age? This study reveals how cardiorespiratory fitness & muscular strength can combat stiffness in older adults, reducing cardiovascular disease risk. Discover how exercise keeps your arteries healthy!
DR ANITA JAMWAL MS
4/15/20246 min read
This study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise examined how cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and muscular strength (MS) relate to arterial stiffness (AS) in older adults. Both higher CRF and MS were linked to lower AS, but MS showed a stronger and more consistent association. This could be due to the relatively high CRF in the study group. Different exercise types likely play a role: aerobic exercise improves overall arterial function, while resistance exercise might offer unique benefits influencing AS. The study suggests that being both fit and strong has the greatest benefit for arterial health in older adults, but more research is needed with more diverse populations and a prospective design to confirm cause and effect.
Key Points
Research Question: The study investigated how cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and muscular strength (MS), measured objectively, are independently and jointly associated with arterial stiffness (AS) in older adults.
CRF and AS: The study confirmed a consistent inverse association between higher CRF and lower AS in older adults, independent of muscular strength. However, the association was weaker than expected, possibly due to a relatively healthy sample or robust data analysis.
MS and AS: There's limited research on MS and AS in older adults. This study found a significant inverse association, suggesting stronger and more consistent connections between MS and reduced AS compared to CRF.
Possible Explanations for Stronger MS-AS Association:
Relatively high CRF in the sample might have masked the CRF-AS association.
MS scores distribution suggested a more representative sample compared to CRF.
MS might have greater implications for stiffness in larger blood vessels.
Aerobic vs. Resistance Exercise: Both contribute to reduced AS, but resistance exercise might offer unique hormonal and metabolic benefits influencing AS.
Joint Analysis: The "fit and strong" group had the lowest prevalence of high AS, but the relative contributions of CRF and MS might be similar due to comparable prevalences in other groups (limited by sample size).
Limitations and Future Directions: The study lacked diversity, had a cross-sectional design, and didn't account for all potential confounders. Future research should involve more diverse populations, consider additional confounding factors, and employ prospective designs to establish cause-and-effect relationships between exercise, muscular strength, and arterial health in older adults.
Arterial Stiffness, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Muscular Strength in Older Adults: A Closer Look
This blog post dives into a study investigating the relationship between arterial stiffness (AS), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and muscular strength (MS) in older adults. AS is a strong predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and increases with age. Higher levels of physical activity are linked to lower AS, and CRF and MS are often used to represent aerobic and resistance exercise participation, respectively.
Previous Research
Established AS as an emerging predictor of CVD, independent of traditional risk factors like blood pressure.
Linked higher physical activity to lower AS in older adults.
Shown consistent associations between CRF and reduced AS.
Revealed limited research on the relationship between MS and AS, particularly in older adults, with mixed findings.
No prior studies examined the combined effects of CRF and MS on AS while accounting for each other's influence.
Research Question and Hypothesis
This study aimed to understand how CRF and MS, measured objectively, are independently and jointly associated with AS in older adults. The researchers hypothesized that:
Higher CRF is linked to lower AS, independent of MS.
Higher MS is linked to lower AS, independent of CRF.
The combined association of CRF and MS with AS is stronger than either factor alone.
Methods
The study used data from the Physical Activity and Aging Study (PAAS), a prospective cohort study of older adults (at least 65 years old).
Participants: 497 initially enrolled, with 405 included in the final analysis after excluding those with diabetes, CVD, or missing data.
Average participant age: 72 years old
Procedures followed ethical guidelines and received approval from the institutional review board.
Informed consent obtained from all participants.
Data Collection
Assessments occurred over two visits separated by a week. At the first visit, participants completed a medical history questionnaire, as well as fitness, function, and strength assessments. A week later, participants completed fasted assessments (no food, alcohol, or caffeine 12 h before assessments), including blood pressure, AS, and a blood draw. Between visits, participants were given pedometers to record their daily steps.
Cardiorespiratory Fitness (CRF)
The 400-meter walking test is considered a valid method to estimate CRF in older adults. Completion times are associated with VO2 max (gold standard measure of CRF).
The test demonstrates excellent reproducibility.
Participants walked 400 meters as fast as possible without running. Up to 60 seconds of rest was allowed if needed. All participants finished within 15 minutes.
Muscular Strength (MS)
Handgrip strength is associated with overall MS in older adults.
Handgrip strength was assessed using a digital dynamometer. The dynamometer was adjusted for individual hand size and demonstrated high reliability.
Participants were instructed to maximally grip the dynamometer for 2 seconds, with three trials completed on each hand. Overall handgrip strength was calculated by averaging the left and right hand maximums.
Arterial Stiffness (AS)
Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) is the gold standard for assessing AS.
PWV was measured using a Sphygmocor XCEL device following published guidelines. The device has been shown to be accurate and valid.
PWV measurements were obtained while participants were fasted and in a supine position after 10 minutes of quiet rest. The same room temperature and time of day were used for all measurements.
A median PWV value of ≥10 m/s was used to define high AS, established as a threshold for increased cardiovascular risk.
Results
The major finding was that both CRF and MS were independently associated with a lower likelihood of having high AS.
A joint analysis suggested similar relative contributions of CRF and MS when directly comparing the "fit and weak" group with the "unfit and strong" group.
The "fit and strong" group showed the lowest prevalence of high AS, although not significantly different from the other groups, suggesting a possible additive benefit of being both fit and strong on AS.
Muscular Strength Might Be More Consistently Associated with Reduced AS
Muscular strength appeared to be more consistently associated with reduced AS compared to CRF in this study. Here are some possible explanations:
Relatively High CRF in the Sample: The sample possessed relatively high CRF, potentially exhibiting a ceiling effect. The association between CRF and AS might have been stronger with a wider range of 400-meter walking times, including more unfit participants.
Distribution of MS Scores: The distribution of MS scores aligned with other large studies using handgrip strength, suggesting a more representative sample compared to CRF.
MS May Have Greater Implications for Larger Blood Vessels
MS was also more strongly associated with other indicators of AS, such as pulse pressure (a surrogate marker for stiffness in large arteries). While no established cut points define high pulse pressure as a CVD risk factor, previous studies linked a pulse pressure of 50 mmHg or higher to increased risk of acute cardiovascular events. Interestingly, no significant associations were found between CRF and high pulse pressure, suggesting that MS might have greater implications for AS in larger blood vessels.
Aerobic vs. Resistance Exercise and AS
Although CRF and MS often correlate, they generally improve with different exercise types (aerobic exercise for CRF and resistance training for MS). Both types are linked to improvements in arterial function (e.g., endothelial function, inflammation, and sympathetic activity), contributing to reduced AS. Resistance exercise, while less studied than aerobic exercise, might offer unique hormonal and metabolic benefits like improved insulin response and increased basal metabolic rate, potentially influencing AS. Investigating the relative importance of CRF and MS on AS helps answer the crucial question: "What type or combination of exercise is most effective in preventing CVD?" This information is valuable for developing more comprehensive physical activity guidelines.
Joint Analysis of CRF and MS with AS
The joint analysis revealed that the "fit and strong" group had the lowest prevalence of high AS compared to the "unfit and weak" reference group. However, comparable prevalences in the "unfit and strong" and "fit and weak" groups, along with non-significant differences from the "fit and strong" group, suggest that the relative contributions of CRF and MS might be similar. These results, however, should be interpreted cautiously due to the limited number of participants in some groups.
Future Directions
Despite limitations, this study provides rationale and need for further prospective analysis of CRF and MS with AS, particularly in older adults, as aging is a major contributor to increased AS. Prospective and randomized controlled trials could explore the potential benefits of different exercise types and combinations on AS in older adults.
Conclusion
This study found that higher levels of both CRF and MS were associated with a lower prevalence of high AS in older adults. However, due to the cross-sectional nature, these findings warrant further research to investigate the potential benefits of various exercise types and combinations for improving arterial health in older adults. Future studies should consider more diverse populations, account for additional confounding factors, and employ prospective designs to establish cause-and-effect relationships. By understanding the connections between physical fitness, muscular strength, and arterial health, we can develop more effective strategies to promote cardiovascular health and well
Journal Reference
ALBIN, E. E., BRELLENTHIN, A. G., LANG, J. A., MEYER, J. D., & LEE, D. C. (2020, February 26). Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Muscular Strength on Arterial Stiffness in Older Adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 52(8), 1737–1744. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0000000000002319
Related
https://healthnewstrend.com/powering-up-aging-muscles-can-plant-protein-be-the-sustainable-solution
https://healthnewstrend.com/hypertension-relief-how-many-minutes-of-aerobic-exercise-do-you-need
Disclaimer
The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.