The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of different exercise intensity training programs upon blood vessel function and circulating blood cells involved in blood vessel repair in young women. The long term effects of exercise may be beneficial to cardiovascular health and it is important to understand the training methods that are the most beneficial. In particular we aim to determine if brief maximal exercise improves the function and stiffness of blood vessels and enhance blood vessel repair. Two methods of exercising are being compared, exercise bouts involving intermittent exercise and exercise completed all at once, but at a very high intensity.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
12
3 session per week of exercise on a exercise cycle ergometer. Each session involves 30s of maximal exercise followed by 4.5 min of easy cycling at 10W. This is repeated 4 times at each exercise session.
3 sessions per week of an exercise intervention involving maximal cycling until the participant has completed an amount of work equivalent to a sprint interval training session. This exercise lasts between 3 and 3.5 minutes.
University of Leeds
Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Maximal oxygen uptake
A measure of aerobic capacity determined during an incremental exercise test to volitional fatigue on an exercise ergometer.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Heart rate variability
Time frame: 4 weeks
Endothelial progenitor cell function
measures of in vitro cell migratory ability, adhesion and classification of endothelial progenitor cells
Time frame: 4 weeks
Flow mediated dialtion
Measure of vascular endothelial function determined non-invasively at the brachial artery
Time frame: 4 weeks
Arterial stiffness
The stiffness of the carotid artery is measured using a combination of ultrasound imaging and non-invasive blood pressure measurements. Lower degrees of stiffness are more favourable.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Circulating angiogenic cell numbers
These cells are involved in vascular repair and proliferation and may be measured using flow cytometric methods. Specifically cells with CD34 and CD309 antigens are enumerated.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Endothelial progenitor cell function
Measure of in vitro migratory, adhesion and classification of endothelial progenitor cells.
Time frame: 4 weeks
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