Purpose: Blackcurrant extract mainly contains anthocyanins. Several reports suggest that 25 anthocyanins have beneficial effect for cardiovascular functions. The aim of this study was to 26 examine the effect of 7-day intake of New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) extract on arterial functions, e.g. arterial stiffness, and serum lipids. 28 Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design study with a 29 washout period of 28 days was conducted. Fourteen older adults participated in this study (age 30 73.3 ± 1.7 years). Participants took either a 7-day course of placebo or two capsules of NZBC 31 extract (each 300 mg capsule contains 35% blackcurrant extract). Participants took one of the 32 two trials first and then took the other after a washout period. Carotid-femoral pulse-wave 33 velocity, an index of central arterial stiffness, and central blood pressure were measured at 34 baseline and again at the end of the 7-day study period.35Results: Compared to baseline, carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity (P = 0.03) and central 36 blood pressure (P = 0.02) decreased significantly after the 7-day study period with NZBC 37 intake. In addition, carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity (P = 0.04) and central blood pressure 38(P = 0.001) in the NZBC intake trial decreased significantly more than in the placebo intake 39 trial. No effects were observed on serum lipids.40 Conclusion: These results suggest that short-term NZBC intake reduces central arterial 41 stiffness and central blood pressure in older adults. Therefore, anthocyanin-rich blackcurrants

Online exercise is undoubtedly useful and important; however, chronic adaptations to online exercise, particularly strength gain, muscle hypertrophy, and cardiovascular parameters, remain unclear. We investigated the effect of online exercise training using Zoom on fitness parameters compared with the same exercises supervised directly. In the present study, 34 subjects (age: 42.9±14.4 years) were included. Twenty-three subjects performed eight weeks of body mass-based exercise training online using Zoom, and eleven subjects performed the same exercise supervised directly as the control group. The subjects performed low-load resistance exercises twice a week for 8 weeks for a total of 16 sessions. The sessions included 9 exercises: leg raises, squats, rear raises, shoulder presses, rowing, dips, lunges, Romanian dead lifts, and push-ups. Chair-stand, push-up, and sit-and-reach tests were performed on all subjects. Overall, the home exercise program effectively increased strength and muscle mass and decreased blood pressure and arterial stiffness, but there were no differences between the groups. Changes in chair-stand and sit-and-reach test results were higher in the control group than in the online group. Our results show that there is a similar training response to body mass-based training in both groups, even with virtual experiences using Zoom.

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Arterial stiffness increases after glucose ingestion. Acute low- and moderate-intensity aerobic exercise decreases arterial stiffness. However, the acute effects of 30 min of cycling at low- and moderate-intensity [25% (LE trial) and 65% (ME trial) peak oxygen uptake, respectively] on arterial stiffness at 30, 60 and 120 min of a postexercise glucose ingestion. Ten healthy young men (age, 22·4 ± 0·5 years) performed LE and ME trials on separate days in a randomized controlled crossover fashion. Carotid-femoral (aortic) pulse wave velocity (PWV), femoral-ankle (leg) PWV, carotid augmentation index (AIx) and carotid blood pressure (BP) (applanation tonometry), brachial and ankle BP (oscillometric device), heart rate (HR) (electrocardiography), blood glucose (UV-hexokinase method) and blood insulin (CLEIA method) levels were measured at before (baseline) and at 30, 60 and 120 min after the 75-g OGTT. Leg PWV, ankle pulse pressure and BG levels significantly increased from baseline after the 75-g OGTT in the LE trial (P<0·05), but not in the ME trial. Insulin levels and HR significantly increased from baseline after the 75-g OGTT in both trials (P<0·05). Aortic PWV, carotid AIx, brachial BP and carotid BP did not change from baseline after the 75-g OGTT in both trials. The present findings indicate that aerobic exercise at moderate intensity before glucose ingestion suppresses increases leg arterial stiffness after glucose ingestion.

RE trial repeated bouts of aerobic exercise trial; CON trial control trial; BG blood glucose; VO peak oxygen uptake; PWV Pulse wave velocity; AIx carotid augmentation index; BP blood pressure; HR heart rate; CVs coefficients of variation; RPE Ratings of perceived exertion; SE standard error.