No abstract

The authors determined the effect of high‐intensity aerobic interval training on arterial stiffness and microvascular dysfunction in patients with metabolic syndrome with hypertension. Applanation tonometry was used to measure arterial stiffness and laser Doppler flowmetry to assess microvascular dysfunction before and after 6 months of stationary cycling (training group; n = 23) in comparison to a group that remained sedentary (control group; n = 23). While no variable improved in controls, hypertension fell from 79% (59%–91%) to 41% (24%–61%) in the training group, resulting in lower systolic and diastolic pressures than controls (−12 ± 3 and −6 ± 2 mm Hg, P < .008). Arterial stiffness declined (−17% augmentation index, P = .048) and reactive hyperemia increased (20%, P = .028) posttreatment in the training group vs controls. Blood constituents associated with arterial stiffness and a prothrombotic state (high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein, fibrinogen, platelets, and erythrocytes) remained unchanged in the training and control groups. In summary, 6 months of an intense aerobic exercise program reduced both arterial stiffness and microvascular dysfunction in patients with metabolic syndrome despite unchanged blood‐borne cardiovascular risk factors. Training lowers blood flow resistance in central and peripheral vascular beds in a coordinated fashion, resulting in clinically relevant reductions in hypertension.

Our purpose in this study was to investigate efficient and sustainable combinations of exercise and diet-induced weight loss (DIET), in order to combat obesity in metabolic syndrome (MetS) patients. We examined the impact of aerobic interval training (AIT), followed by or concurrent to a DIET on MetS components. 36 MetS patients (54±9 years old; 33±4 BMI; 27 males and 9 females) underwent 16 weeks of AIT followed by another 16 weeks without exercise from the fall of 2013 to the spring of 2014. Participants were randomized to AIT without DIET (E CON, n=12), AIT followed by DIET (E-then-D, n=12) or AIT concurrent with DIET (E+D, n=12) groups. Body weight decreased below E CON similarly in the E-then-D and E+D groups (~5%). Training improved blood pressure and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak) in all groups with no additional effect of concurrent weight loss. However, E+D improved insulin sensitivity (HOMA) and lowered plasma triglycerides and blood cholesterol below E CON and E-then-D (all P<0.05). Weight loss in E-then-D in the 16 weeks without exercise lowered HOMA to the E+D levels and maintained blood pressure at trained levels. Our data suggest that a new lifestyle combination consisting of aerobic interval training followed by weight loss diet is similar, or even more effective on improving metabolic syndrome factors than concurrent exercise plus diet.

Individuals with abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) have augmented risk of all-cause mortality. Lifestyle interventions are effective to treat MetS, however, there are periods during the year in which exercise programs are discontinued and improper dietary habits reappear (e.g., Christmas holidays). We aimed to analyze if exercise-training during Christmas holidays would avoid body-weight gains and cardiometabolic deterioration in MetS individuals, using a randomized control trial. Thirty-eight men with MetS undergoing exercise training were randomly allocated to either continue (TRAIN group, n = 16) or discontinue (HOLID group, n = 22) training, during the three weeks of Christmas. Anthropometrics (body weight, fat, and waist circumference), fasting blood metabolites (glucose, insulin, triglycerides, and cholesterol concentrations) and exercise maximal fat oxidation (FOMAX) and oxygen uptake (VO2PEAK) were determined before and after Christmas. Both groups were similar at baseline in all parameters (p > 0.05). HOLID group increased body weight (91.3 ± 13.0 to 92.0 ± 13.4 kg, p = 0.004), mean arterial pressure (94.0 ± 10.6 to 97.1 ± 8.9 mmHg, p = 0.026), blood insulin (10.2 ± 3.8 to 12.5 ± 5.4 µIU·mL−1, p = 0.003) and HOMA (3.2 ± 1.3 to 4.1 ± 2.3, p = 0.003). In contrast, TRAIN prevented those disarrangements and reduced total (170.6 ± 30.6 to 161.3 ± 31.3 mg·dL−1, p = 0.026) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (i.e., LDL-C, 104.8 ± 26.1 to 95.6 ± 21.7 mg·dL−1, p = 0.013). TRAIN also prevented the reductions in exercise FOMAX and VO2PEAK that was observed in the HOLID group (p = 0.002). In conclusion, exercise training during Christmas, prevents body weight gains and the associated cardiovascular (increase in blood pressure and LDL-C) and metabolic (reduced insulin sensitivity) health risks are an optimal non-pharmacological therapy for that period of the year.