Background: Obesity is known as one of the most important cardiovascular risk factors. Objectives: This quasi-experimental study was conducted to investigate the effect of an eight-week aerobic exercise and garlic extract use on the blood pressure, fat percentage, and lipid profile of patients with hypertension. Methods: A total of 50 men with a mean age of 53 ± 7.6 years were recruited from among obese patients with blood pressure. They were randomly divided into five groups of aerobic exercise, garlic extract, aerobic exercise plus garlic extract, placebo, and control. The experimental groups underwent aerobic exercise (3 sessions per week, each session for 35 - 60 min with a maximum heart rate of 50 - 75) or garlic extract supplementation (daily use of 6 g) for eight weeks. Blood samples were collected before interventions and 48 h after the last exercise session. Statistical analysis was done by the dependent t-test and ANCOVA. Results: Body weight, body fat percentage, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and serum LDL significantly reduced in the aerobic exercise, garlic extract, and aerobic exercise plus garlic extract groups compared to the control group (P ≤ 0.05). Aerobic exercise and aerobic exercise plus garlic extract groups showed a significant decrease in total cholesterol level and serum triglyceride and an increase in serum HDL compared to the control group (P ≤ 0.05). Aerobic exercise plus garlic extract group indicated a higher increase in serum HDL and a higher decrease in the body weight, body fat percentage, and serum LDL compared with the control group (P ≤ 0.05). Aerobic exercise plus garlic extract group indicated a higher serum LDL decrease compared to the aerobic exercise group (P ≤ 0.01). Conclusions: Both aerobic exercise and garlic extract seem to be able to improve obesity, lipid profile, and hypertension. However, their concurrent use has no additional effects on the blood pressure control although it mostly influences lipid profile and body composition.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension are global health concerns. Objectives: The purpose of this study was the effect of intensive aerobic training with vitamin C supplementation on myeloperoxidase (MPO), asymmetric dimethyl arginine (ADMA), and blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive men.Methods: Forty hypertensive men (age: 44.6 ± 3.5 y, body mass index: 28.2 ± 1.2 kg.m -2 ) volunteered to participate in this study and were randomly divided into four groups of aerobic training with vitamin C (ATV; N = 10), aerobic training with placebo (ATP; N = 10), vitamin C group (VC; N = 10) and control (Con; N = 10). The exercise training consisted of running training, which was done three times a week for 10 weeks, with the intensity of 75% -85% HR max, and the duration of 20 -45 minutes. ATP and VC groups consumed daily 500 mg of vitamin C or placebo. Fasting blood samples were measured before the start training protocol and 24 hour after last training sessions to measure MPO and ADMA in the serum. Results:The results of present study showed that ADMA and BP were significantly decreased only in ATV and ATP (P ≤ 0.05). However, MPO did not change significantly (P > 0.05). Also, were seen that no significant difference between ATV and ATP groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions: It can be concluded that, aerobic training caused to decrease of dimethyl arginine, that can be a good strategy for control or decrease of blood pressure in hypertensive subjects, however intensive aerobic training with vitamin C may have better efficacy.

Objectives: The aim of this research was to study the influence of consuming ascorbic acid during high -intensity endurance training on catalase (CAT), nitric oxide (NO) concentration, and blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive male. Methods: 36 hypertensive male voluntary participated in the present study and randomly assigned into endurance training-ascorbic acid (HTC; n = 9), endurance training-placebo (HTP; n = 9), ascorbic acid (AA; n = 9) and control (n = 9). The exercise protocol was including continuous running exercise training with gradually increasing of duration and intensity, 3 times a week for 10 weeks. The supplement groups consumed daily 500 mg of ascorbic acid, and the placebo group consumed the same amount of maltodextrin. Fasting blood samples was gathered before the beginning exercise protocol and one day after last session for analyzing CAT and NO. Results: Results showed that activity of CAT and NO concentration were significantly increased only in the HTC and HTP (P ≤ 0.05). Also, in the HTP and HTC, a significant decrease observed in the systolic and diastolic (P ≤ 0.05). Nevertheless, there was no significant difference between HTC and HTP in SBP and DBP (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Finally, we concluded that, continuous running exercise training has positive effect on the catalase and oxide nitric activity, and can improve blood pressure in the hypertensive men. Anyway, combined the high -intensity aerobic training with ascorbic acid may have not more efficacy.

Objectives: This study investigated the effects of an eight-week aerobic exercise program and use of garlic extract on serum atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and NT-pro brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in obese hypertensive patients. Methods: A total of 50 male obese hypertensive patients with a mean age of 53 ± 7.6 years were recruited in this study. They were randomly assigned to five groups, including aerobic exercise, garlic extract, aerobic exercise + garlic extract, placebo, and control. The experimental groups were subjected to eight weeks of aerobic exercise (three sessions per week, each session for 35-60 min with a maximum heart rate of 50%-70%) and/or garlic extract supplement (6 g daily). Blood samples were collected before interventions and 48 h after the last exercise session. Statistical analysis of data was performed by dependent t-test and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Results: Body weight, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and NT-pro BNP in aerobic exercise, garlic extract, and garlic extract + aerobic exercise reduced significantly compared to control group (P ≤ 0.05). Body weight, BMI, and ANP decreased significantly in aerobic and aerobic + garlic extract groups compared to garlic group (P ≤ 0.001). Moreover, ANP reduced more significantly in aerobic exercise + garlic extract group than in aerobic exercise group (P ≤ 0.05). In addition, NT-pro BNP decreased more significantly in aerobic exercise + garlic extract group than in garlic extract group (P ≤ 0.01). Conclusions: It seems that both aerobic exercise and garlic extract are able to decrease obesity and hypertension. However, their simultaneous use has no additional effects on hypertension control although it influences the body composition and natriuretic peptides.