This pilot study tests the hypothesis that the medication nitric oxide extract from beetroot juice improves blood flow to the skeletal muscle during exercise. The investigators will use cutting edge technology with contrast enhanced ultrasound to visualize the microvascular blood supply to the forearm. Animal studies have shown reversal of muscle damage with improved delivery of blood to the exercising muscle. This research aims to understand the mechanism of action of this medication in a way it has never been studied before. The results may help benefit individuals with muscular Dystrophy in the future.
The subjects are asked to perform a graded hand-grip exercise while blood flow to the skeletal muscle is visualized by contrast enhanced ultrasound. This is done at baseline and after taking the study agent.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
6
Blood flow to the forearm is visualized via an ultrasound technique at rest and with graded exercise. The experiment is then repeated shortly after the subject takes the study agent, beetroot juice extract.
Blood flow to the forearm is visualized via an ultrasound technique at rest and with graded exercise. The experiment is then repeated shortly after the subject takes the study agent, beetroot juice extract.
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, California, United States
Change in Skeletal Muscle Blood Flow
Exercise induced skeletal muscle perfusion is measured by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEU) during graded voluntary contraction on a hand grip dynamometer.
Time frame: At baseline and within one hours after taking beetroot juice or Tadalafil
Change in Measured Functional Sympatholysis
Functional sympatholysis (attenuation of exercise induced skeletal muscle vasoconstriction) is assessed using a lower body negative pressure chamber.
Time frame: At baseline, and within an hour after taking beetroot juice or Tadalafil
Change in Measured Flow Mediated Dilation (FMD)
Endothelial function is assessed by measuring flow-mediated dilation (FMD) by Doppler ultrasound.
Time frame: At baseline, and within an hour after taking beetroot juice or Tadalafil
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