Vascular Function in Norwegian Female Elite Runners: A Cross-Sectional, Controlled Study

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Cardiovascular Physiology
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Aerobic exercise generally benefits vascular health.
• Relative energy deficiency in sports (RED-S) complicates the vascular effects of exercise in athletes.
• Understanding vascular function in elite female athletes is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare vascular function and morphology in elite female long-distance runners versus inactive women.
• To investigate the potential impact of RED-S risk on vascular parameters.
• To assess endothelial function, vascular stiffness, and carotid artery characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional controlled study comparing 16 elite runners and 17 controls.
• Vascular assessments included flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), pulse wave velocity (PWV), carotid artery reactivity (CAR %), and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT).
• Hormone and metabolic analyses, RED-S risk assessment (LEAF-Q), and body composition (DXA) were performed.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in FMD, PWV, CAR %, cIMT, or endothelial biomarkers between groups.
• 44% of runners scored at risk for RED-S.
• Runners exhibited higher HDL-cholesterol and insulin sensitivity than controls.

Conclusions:

• Norwegian female elite runners demonstrated vascular function and morphology comparable to age-matched inactive women.
• Despite RED-S risk in some athletes, vascular health was not compromised.
• Elite endurance running may not adversely affect vascular health in female athletes.