Association Between Antioxidant Capacity and Vascular Hemodynamics in Premenopausal Women Following Exercise Training

Oxidative stress plays a role in vascular dysfunction and cardiometabolic health. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of aerobic exercise training on antioxidant capacity (ferric reducing ability of plasma/FRAP) and hemodynamic measures: systolic blood pressure (∆SBP), diastolic blood pressure (∆DBP), mean arterial blood pressure (∆MAP), large arterial elasticity index (∆LAEI), and small arterial elasticity index (∆SAEI) in a cohort of healthy women. This was a secondary data analysis of a study designed to evaluate cardiometabolic outcomes. Participants performed supervised aerobic exercise 3 times/week on a stationary cycle ergometer. FRAP and hemodynamic measures were measured baseline and post-training. The analysis included 15 African American and 14 Caucasian women aged 32.2 ± 5.5 years. No significant changes were observed for FRAP or hemodynamic measures. However, significant negative correlations between ∆FRAP and ∆SBP, ∆DBP, and MAP, as well as a positive correlation with ∆SAEI and ∆LAEI were observed. ∆SBP, ∆DBP, and ∆MAP were each modeled with three multiple regression models: (1) ∆FRAP, ∆SAEI, and ∆LAEI as independent variables. All models had significant R². ∆FRAP was significantly related to ∆DBP and ∆MAP after adjusting for ∆SAEI and ∆LAEI (partial R -0.38 and -0.32 respectively). ∆SAEI was independently related to ∆SBP (partial -0.32) and ∆MAP (partial -0.34). ∆LAEI was independently related to ∆SBP (partial -0.36) and ∆MAP (partial -0.40). ∆FRAP is significantly associated with lowered blood pressure and elevated arterial elasticity. While multiple regression analysis suggests that at least some of the lowered blood pressure is achieved through processes associated with increased arterial elasticity.