Cocoa-flavanols enhance moderate-intensity pulmonary [Formula: see text] kinetics but not exercise tolerance in sedentary middle-aged adults.
Publication year
2021Source
European Journal of Applied Physiology, 121, 8, (2021), pp. 2285-2294ISSN
Annotation
01 augustus 2021
Publication type
Article / Letter to editor

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Organization
Physiology
Journal title
European Journal of Applied Physiology
Volume
vol. 121
Issue
iss. 8
Page start
p. 2285
Page end
p. 2294
Subject
Radboudumc 16: Vascular damage RIHS: Radboud Institute for Health SciencesAbstract
INTRODUCTION: Cocoa flavanols (CF) may exert health benefits through their potent vasodilatory effects, which are perpetuated by elevations in nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. These vasodilatory effects may contribute to improved delivery of blood and oxygen (O(2)) to exercising muscle. PURPOSE: Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine how CF supplementation impacts pulmonary O(2) uptake ([Formula: see text]) kinetics and exercise tolerance in sedentary middle-aged adults. METHODS: We employed a double-blind cross-over, placebo-controlled design whereby 17 participants (11 male, 6 female; mean ± SD, 45 ± 6 years) randomly received either 7 days of daily CF (400 mg) or placebo (PL) supplementation. On day 7, participants completed a series of 'step' moderate- and severe-intensity exercise tests for the determination of [Formula: see text] kinetics. RESULTS: During moderate-intensity exercise, the time constant of the phase II [Formula: see text] kinetics ([Formula: see text]) was decreased by 15% in CF as compared to PL (mean ± SD; PL 40 ± 12 s vs. CF 34 ± 9 s, P = 0.019), with no differences in the amplitude of [Formula: see text] (A[Formula: see text]; PL 0.77 ± 0.32 l min(-1) vs. CF 0.79 ± 0.34 l min(-1), P = 0.263). However, during severe-intensity exercise, [Formula: see text], the amplitude of the slow component ([Formula: see text]) and exercise tolerance (PL 435 ± 58 s vs. CF 424 ± 47 s, P = 0.480) were unchanged between conditions. CONCLUSION: Our data show that acute CF supplementation enhanced [Formula: see text] kinetics during moderate-, but not severe-intensity exercise in middle-aged participants. These novel effects of CFs, in this demographic, may contribute to improved tolerance of moderate-activity physical activities, which appear commonly present in daily life. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered under ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier no. NCT04370353, 30/04/20 retrospectively registered.
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