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01-06-2020 | Nitrate | Original Article

Dietary nitrate does not acutely enhance skeletal muscle blood flow and vasodilation in the lower limbs of older adults during single-limb exercise

Authors: William E. Hughes, Nicholas T. Kruse, Kenichi Ueda, Andrew J. Feider, Satoshi Hanada, Joshua M. Bock, Darren P. Casey

Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology | Issue 6/2020

Abstract

Purpose

Blood flow (BF) and vasodilator responses to knee-extension exercise are attenuated in older adults across an exercise transient (onset, kinetics, and steady-state), and reduced nitric oxide bioavailability (NO) has been hypothesized to be a primary mechanism contributing to this attenuation. We tested the hypothesis acute dietary nitrate (NO₃⁻) supplementation (~ 4.03 mmol NO₃⁻ and 0.29 mmol NO₂⁻) would improve leg vasodilator responses across an exercise transient during lower limb exercise in older adults.

Methods

Older (n = 10) untrained adults performed single and rhythmic knee-extension contractions at 20% and 40% work-rate maximum (WR_max) prior to and 2-h after consuming a NO₃⁻ or placebo beverage in a double-blind, randomized fashion. Femoral artery BF was measured by Doppler ultrasound. Vascular conductance was calculated using BF and mean arterial pressure.

Results

Acute ingestion of dietary NO₃⁻ enhanced plasma [NO₃⁻] and [NO₂⁻] (P < 0.05). Neither dietary NO₃⁻ or placebo enhanced vasodilator responses at the onset of exercise or during steady state at 20% and 40% WR_max (P > 0.05). Leg vasodilator kinetics during rhythmic exercise remained unchanged following NO₃⁻ and placebo ingestion (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

The key findings of this study are that despite increasing plasma [NO₃⁻] and [NO₂⁻]_, acute dietary NO₃⁻ intake had no effect on (1) rapid hyperaemic or vasodilator responses at the onset of exercise; (2) hyperaemic and vasodilator responses during steady-state submaximal exercise; or (3) kinetics of vasodilation preceding steady-state responses. Collectively, these findings suggest that low dose dietary NO₃⁻ supplementation does not improve hyperaemic and vasodilator responses across an exercise transient in older adults.

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Title: Dietary nitrate does not acutely enhance skeletal muscle blood flow and vasodilation in the lower limbs of older adults during single-limb exercise
Authors: William E. Hughes
Nicholas T. Kruse
Kenichi Ueda
Andrew J. Feider
Satoshi Hanada
Joshua M. Bock
Darren P. Casey
Publication date: 01-06-2020
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keyword: Nitrate
Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology / Issue 6/2020
Print ISSN: 1439-6319
Electronic ISSN: 1439-6327
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-020-04368-8

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Dietary nitrate does not acutely enhance skeletal muscle blood flow and vasodilation in the lower limbs of older adults during single-limb exercise

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

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Conclusions

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