Arterial stiffness after glucose ingestion in exercise-trained versus untrained men

Postprandial hyperglycemia increases arterial stiffness. Arterial stiffness and insulin resistance are lower in exercise-trained humans than in untrained humans. However, the effect of exercise on arterial stiffness after glucose ingestion in young adults remains unknown. The present study investigates the effect of regular aerobic exercise on arterial stiffness after glucose ingestion in young males. Ten exercise-trained males (age, 20.8 +/- 0.2 years; ETR) and 9 healthy untrained males (age, 22.2 +/- 0.7 years; UTR) participated in this study. Carotid-femoral (aortic) pulse wave velocity (PWV), femoral-ankle (leg) PWV, carotid augmentation index (AIx) (applanation tonometry), brachial and ankle blood pressure (BP), heart rate (oscillometric device and electrocardiography), and blood glucose (glucose oxidase method) were measured at 30 min before (baseline) and 30, 60, and 120 min after a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. Leg PWV at 30 min after glucose ingestion was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in the UTR group than in the ETR group. Ankle systolic BP at 30 min after glucose ingestion was also significantly higher in the UTR group than in the ETR group (P < 0.05). Blood glucose increased from baseline at 30 min (P < 0.01) and 60 min (P < 0.05) after glucose ingestion in both groups. Aortic PWV, carotid AIx, and brachial systolic BP did not change from baseline after glucose ingestion in both groups. The present findings indicate that leg PWV and ankle systolic BP after glucose ingestion were significantly lower in the ETR group than in the UTR group.