Resveratrol blunts the positive effects of exercise training on cardiovascular health in aged men

Abstract

Key points• In rodents, resveratrol has been shown to enhance training-induced changes in cardiovascular function, exercise performance and the retardation of atherosclerosis. We examined the effect of 8 weeks of exercise training with and without concomitant resveratrol supplementation in aged men.• Exercise training potently improved blood pressure, blood cholesterol, maximal oxygen uptake and the plasma lipid profile.• Resveratrol supplementation reduced the positive effect of exercise training on blood pressure, blood cholesterol and maximal oxygen uptake and did not affect the retardation of atherosclerosis.• Whereas exercise training improved formation of the vasodilator prostacyclin, concomitant resveratrol supplementation caused a shift in vasoactive systems favouring vasoconstriction.• The present study is the first to demonstrate negative effects of resveratrol on training-induced improvements in cardiovascular health parameters in humans and adds to the growing body of evidence questioning the positive effects of resveratrol supplementation in humans.Abstract Ageing is thought to be associated with decreased vascular function partly due to oxidative stress. Resveratrol is a polyphenol, which in animal studies has been shown to decrease atherosclerosis, and improve cardiovascular health and physical capacity, in part through its effects on Sirtuin 1 signalling and through an improved antioxidant capacity. We tested the hypothesis that resveratrol supplementation enhances training-induced improvements in cardiovascular health parameters in aged men. Twenty-seven healthy physically inactive aged men (age: 65 ± 1 years; body mass index: 25.4 ± 0.7 kg m −2 ; mean arterial pressure (MAP): 95.8 ± 2.2 mmHg; maximal oxygen uptake: 2488 ± 72 ml O 2 min −1 ) were randomized into 8 weeks of either daily intake of either 250 mg trans-resveratrol (n = 14) or of placebo (n = 13) concomitant with high-intensity exercise training. Exercise training led to a 45% greater (P < 0.05) increase in maximal oxygen uptake in the placebo group than in the resveratrol group and to a decrease in MAP in the placebo group only (−4.8 ± 1.7 mmHg; P < 0.05). The interstitial level of vasodilator prostacyclin was lower in the resveratrol than in the placebo group after training (980 ± 90 vs. 1174 ± 121 pg ml −1 ; P < 0.02) and muscle thromboxane synthase was higher in the resveratrol group after training (P < 0.05). Resveratrol administration also abolished the positive effects of exercise on low-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein ratio and triglyceride concentrations in blood (P < 0.05). Resveratrol did not alter the effect of exercise training on the atherosclerosis marker vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1). Sirtuin 1 protein levels were not affected by resveratrol supplementation. These findings indicate that, whereas exercise training effectively improves several cardiovascular health parameters in aged men, concomitant resveratrol supplementation can blunt these effects.

New strategies in sport nutrition to increase exercise performance

“…Whilst the data from Timmers et al (2011) was encouraging, recently Scribbans and colleagues (2014) reported that resveratrol supplementation during exercise training in healthy individuals can result in a maladaptive response in exercise-stimulated gene expression [176]. In agreement with this observation, Gliemann et al (2013) showed that resveratrol supplementation in combination with high-intensity training in older men not only blunted the increase in maximal oxygen uptake observed in the placebo group, but also eradicated the effects of the exercise to reduce low-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in the blood [177]. Using a similar protocol, Olesen et al…”

Therapeutic Potential of Resveratrol in Complementary Medicine for Chronic Diseases Management

“…It has been shown resveratrol enhanced the beneficial effects of exercise on cardiac function in normal young rats [26]. However, the complementary effect was not supported by a recently reported clinical study in which resveratrol blunted the cardiovascular protective effect in elderly men [27]. Thus further studies using experimental animal model and in clinical setting to assess the potential synergy between exercise and resveratrol are needed to support its potential role in complementary medicine.…”

The effects of resveratrol on aging vessels

“…Recent studies in humans, by contrast, suggest that in aged, but healthy individuals RV blunts the positive cardiovascular effects of physical exercise (Gliemann et al, 2014(Gliemann et al, , 2013Olesen et al, 2014b). When submitted to eight weeks of high intensity training and a daily intake of either 250 mg of RV or placebo, the subjects that received RV showed no increase in the capillary-to-fiber ratio or the concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor in the vastus lateralis.…”

“…On the other hand, enough evidence has been gathered to suggest that compromised populations such as the elderly do benefit from treatment with RV (Smoliga et al, 2013). Even though a recent series of publications in aged humans (Gliemann et al, 2014(Gliemann et al, , 2013Olesen et al, 2014b) reveals no benefit from RV supplementation in a broad range of cardiovascular and metabolic parameters, further research needs to be conducted to definitely validate the claims both in favor and against RV.…”

“…Interestingly, supplementation with thiolbased and other antioxidants such as tocopherol prevents ROS-induced autophagy (Underwood et al, 2010). With that in mind, some have questioned whether a higher production of free radicals during aging is in fact detrimental to cardiovascular health (Gliemann et al, 2013). Some evidence suggests that in mammalian cultured cells NO, a free radical, inhibits autophagy by nitrosylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1.…”