Effects of L-arginine supplementation and exercise on hemodynamic and endocrine-metabolic responses in women

• Grant number: 09/17751-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2010
• End date: April 30, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - General Pharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Angelina Zanesco
• Grantee: Angelina Zanesco
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO) regulates the vascular tone homeostasis, inhibits the platelets aggregations and the vascular control, in the cardiovascular system, through the endothelial nitric oxide synhtases (eNOS) actions. The L-arginine is a substrate for NO production and this amino acids bioavailability regulate the NO formation. Based on this relationship, some studies investigated the effects of L-arginine infusion and supplementation on cardiovascular system, especially on the endothelial dysfunction improvement. Those possible positive effects are similar to that produced from exercise, and together these interventions can produce additive effects. Thus the purpose of this study will be to verify the effects of L-arginine supplementation on hemodynamic and endocrine-metabolic responses in women with and without hypertension. Forty women older than 50 yr (twenty with hypertension and twenty without hypertension) will take part of this study. All the participants will perform and aerobic evaluation test on cycle ergometer and the anthropometrics characteristics will be measured. After theses measures all the participants will perform four experimental sections in random order and separated by at least 72 hours between them. The participants will receive 15 g of L-arginine, or D-arginine or placebo, or nothing in the control day. One hour after this intervention, all the participants will perform 20 minutes of aerobic exercise on cycle ergometer at the lactate threshold intensity, but not during the control day that will not have nor supplementation nor exercise performance. Blood sample will be collected immediately after, and 45 and 90 minutes after the end of the exercise. The blood pressure will be measured through 24 hour after the end of the exercise. The lipid levels, insulin and growth hormone concentration, nitrite/nitrate, oxidative stress markers, ADMA, glucose and lactate concentrations will be measured from the plasma and/or serum. All the results will be analyzed based on the blood concentration responses and time relationships in the area under the curve. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PUGA, GUILHERME M.; NOVAIS, IANE DE P.; KATSANOS, CHRISTOS S.; ZANESCO, ANGELINA. Combined effects of aerobic exercise and L-arginine ingestion on blood pressure in normotensive postmenopausal women: A crossover study. Life Sciences, v. 151, p. 323-329, APR 15 2016. (11/11457-6, 09/17751-3)