A Single Resistance Exercise Session Reduces High‐Fat Meal‐Induced Impairments in Conduit Artery Function and Microvascular Reactivity
Authors: Tomko Patrick M , Colquhoun Ryan J , Banks Nile F , Sciarrillo Christina M , Koemel Nicholas A , Emerson Sam R , Jenkins Nathaniel DM 
Published: June 2021

OBJECTIVETo examine the effects of full‐body resistance exercise on endothelial function and microvascular reactivity following a high‐fat meal (HFM) in healthy men.METHODSSeven males (mean ± SD, age = 22.1 ± 2.2 y, BMI = 26.5 ± 2.0 kg/m2) participated in this randomized, repeated measures, crossover study. Participants visited the laboratory for familiarization and baseline heart rate and blood pressure measurements. They returned to the laboratory and completed either a session of resistance exercise (RE), consisting of 3 sets of 8 exercises using a 12‐repetition maximum load, or no exercise (NE) and consumed a protein shake (300 – 400 kcals; protein = 0.3g protein per kg body mass) as their last meal. In each condition, the participants returned to the laboratory following a 12‐h overnight fast and consumed a HFM (12 kcal/kg, 63% fat, 34% carbohydrate). Endothelial function was assessed via flow‐mediated dilation (FMD %) and microvascular reactivity was assessed via tissue oxygen saturation (StO2) recovery kinetics of skeletal muscle using a near‐infrared spectroscopy device following vascular occlusion prior to, and 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐h post‐meal. Repeated measures ANOVAs were used to examine condition‐ and time‐based differences in FMD %, minimum tissue saturation (StO2min), StO2 desaturation rate during cuff occlusion (Slope 1), StO2 reperfusion rate (Slope 2), and StO2 area under the curve (AUC) for 3 minutes post‐cuff release.RESULTSThere was a significant condition × time interaction for FMD% (F(3, 18) = 5.41; p = 0.01). FMD% did not change (p = 0.97) in response to the HFM in the RE condition, whereas it decreased from baseline to 3‐ (p = 0.02, % decrease = −53%) and 5‐h (p = 0.03; −64%), respectively, in the NE condition. Consequently, FMD% was 39% and 53% greater in the RE than NE condition 3‐ (p = 0.01) and 5‐h (p < 0.01) post‐HFM, respectively. There were no condition × time interactions (p > 0.05), but there were condition main effects for StO2 Slope 2 (F(1, 6) = 12.5; p = 0.01) and StO2min (F(1, 6) = 7.5; p = 0.03), where StO2 Slope 2 was steeper and StO2min was lower in the RE than NE condition. There was also a condition × time interaction for StO2 AUC (F(3, 18) = 3.9; p = 0.03). Statistically, StO2 AUC did not change in response to the HFM in the RE (p = 0.15) or NE (p = 0.30) conditions. However, StO2 AUC was 19% (p ≤ 0.05), 28% (p < 0.001), and 12% greater (p = 0.01) at 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐h post‐HFM in the RE than NE condition. There was no significant condition × interaction (p = 0.59), or main effects for condition (p = 0.08) or time (p = 0.93) for StO2 Slope 1.CONCLUSIONA single session of full‐body resistance exercise ameliorates HFM‐induced endothelial dysfunction and improves microvascular reactivity in young, healthy men. These improvements may be mediated by an increase in skeletal muscle metabolism. Resistance exercise could be used as an intervention to improve macro‐ and microvascular responses in the post‐prandial state, which may ultimately reduce cardiovascular risk.
imageThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.