Purpose: Regular aerobic exercise has been recommended as an effective lifestyle strategy for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. However, it is unclear whether short-term exercise (＜ 6 weeks) can also improve vascular function. Thus, we sought to evaluate the efficacy of short-term spinning exercise to improve vascular function and body composition in young women. Methods: Twelve young women (age, 22±2 years; body mass index, 22.2±3.3 kg/m 2 ) participated in 10 spinning exercise sessions (50 minutes per session including 5 minutes for warm up and cool down) at 60% to 85% age predicted maximal heart rate. Assessments were hemodynamics (heart rate [HR], rate-pressure product [RPP], brachial and central blood pressure) and vascular function (carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity [c-f PWV], augmentation index normalized to a HR of 75 beats [AIx@75], brachial artery flow-mediated dilation [FMD]), and body composition. All measurements were obtained at baseline before (test 1 [T1] and test 2 [T2]) and again after completion of the last spinning exercise session (test 3 [T 3 ]). Results: Short-term spinning exercise reduced c-f PWV (T 1 : 6.2±0.7 m/sec, T 3 : 5.7±0.6 m/sec, p=0.012), AIx@75 (T1: 2.4%±8.8%, T3: −5.9%±9.3%, p＜ 0.001) and increased brachial artery FMD (T1: 8.0%±4.0%, T3: 11.8%±5.4%, p=0.002). Percent body fat also decreased after short-term spinning exercise (T 1 : 29.3%±6.0%, T 3 : 28.4%±6.1%, p=0.011). In addition, all participants achieved 100% adherence. Conclusion: These findings provide preliminary evidence for the effects of short-term spinning exercise to improve vascular function and body composition in young women.

Purpose: Regular moderate-intensity aerobic exercise confers immense vascular benefits, yet the lack of time remains the most common barrier to a regular exercise routine. A Tabata exercise is a type of high-intensity interval training exercise that is time efficient and has recently been demonstrated to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and metabolic profiles, but its benefits on vascular function still remain unclear. We tested the hypothesis that the Tabata-styled exercise would be as effective as moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) in improving vascular function in young healthy adults. Methods: Using a randomized, cross-over design, fourteen healthy men (age, 23.8±2.3 years; body mass index, 23.7±2.2 kg/m 2) performed two acute exercise trials, separated at least by 72 hours: a modified Tabata-styled exercise (eight sets of 20-second exercise at 120% of maximal power output using a bike and 10-second rest, total 4 minutes) or a MICE for 30 minutes at a heart rate reserve of 40%-60%. Vascular function was assessed via brachial artery flow-mediated dilation and arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity and augmentation index) at baseline and again at 60 minutes and 120 minutes after exercise. Results: Compared with MICE, a Tabata-styled exercise increased heart rate at 60 minutes (p＜ 0.05). Both exercises improved vascular function to a similar extent, as evidenced by an increase in flow-mediated dilation and a reduction in arterial stiffness at 60 minutes and 120 minutes (p＜ 0.05). Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that the Tabata-styled exercise is a time-efficient exercise strategy that is as effective as MICE in enhancing vascular function in healthy young men.

Purpose: Acute aerobic exercise has been shown to attenuate brachial blood pressure (BP) reactivity to sympathetic activation, though whether it also attenuates central BP reactivity remains unclear. We tested the hypothesis that an acute bout of aerobic exercise would attenuate central BP reactivity to sympathetic activation. Methods: In a randomized crossover design, 15 healthy adults (23±0 years and 23±1 kg/m 2) completed two trials; (1) acute aerobic exercise (30 minutes at 60% of heart rate reserve) and (2) sitting as a time control prior to the cold pressor test (CPT) in a randomized order. During the CPT, a hand was submerged up to the wrist in an iced water bath (4°C) for 3 minutes. Heart rate and brachial and central BP were measured at baseline, during and after the CPT. Results: Heart rate, and brachial and central BPs increased similarly during the CPT in both trials and returned to baseline after CPT (time effect, p＜ 0.05). However, brachial systolic BP reactivity to the CPT was attenuated in the acute aerobic exercise trial compared to control trial (interaction effect, p＜ 0.05). In addition, the magnitude of central systolic BP reactivity during the CPT was less increased in the acute aerobic exercise trial (Δ 19.8 mmHg) versus in the control trial (Δ 24.6 mmHg) (p=0.017). Conclusion: These findings demonstrated that acute aerobic exercise attenuated both brachial and central BP reactivity to the sympathetic activation, suggesting that aerobic exercise may have a favorable effect on central BP reactivity to the sympathetic activation in young adults.

Purpose: Recovery from exercise is a vulnerable phase that has been linked to increased susceptibility to sudden cardiovascular events. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. We tested the hypothesis that postexercise cigarette smoking would attenuate hemodynamics and vascular function during recovery from exercise in young men. Methods: Thirteen habitual smokers (age, 22±3 years; body mass index, 25.1±3.6 kg/m 2 ) participated in (1) cigarette smoking (0.6 mg nicotine) and (2) sham smoking (SHAM) immediately postexercise (30 minutes on a treadmill; 40% to 60% of heart rate [HR] reserve) in a randomized order. Assessments were hemodynamics (HR, rate-pressure product [RPP], brachial and central artery blood pressures) and vascular function (arterial stiffness via carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity [PWV]; conduit vessel function via brachial artery flow-mediated dilation [FMD]). All variables were assessed at baseline, 10 minutes, and 30 minutes postexercise, except for FMD (baseline and 30 minutes postexercise). Results: Compared with the SHAM trial, cigarette smoking increased HR, RPP, and brachial and central blood pressures postexercise (interaction, p＜ 0.05). PWV reduced and FMD increased postexercise in the SHAM trial, while cigarette smoking attenuated exercise-induced improvements (interaction, p＜ 0.05). Conclusion: Cigarette smoking attenuated hemodynamic recovery and an improvement in arterial stiffness and conduit vessel function in young habitual smokers, thereby providing evidence for the negative effects of cigarette smoking during recovery from exercise.