Cutaneous and cerebral microvascular response to the ingestion of flavanols in young and older humans : role of nitric oxide
Year: 2014
Type: dissertation
Abstract: during the last 5 minutes of the stable plateau phase at 40°C (72.1 ± 2.9% versus 62.0 ± 3.0%, p<0.05) but not 34°C (10.8 ± 0.6% versus 11.9 ±0.7%, p>0.05) compared with the young.Acutely following flavanol ingestion there was a significant increase in SkBF response when considering the entire 30 minutes of 40°C heating (52.4 ± 2.1% versus 56.1 ± 2.0%, p=0.05) but, contrary to the hypothesis, this response did not differ between the young and older individuals.There was no effect of chronic flavanol ingestion on TR in the older individuals, either the last 5 minutes of the plateau phase or over the 30 minutes of local heating; however, there was a significant decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP, Baseline: 95 ± 3 mmHg, Flavanols: 91 ± 3 mmHg, p<0.001).This suggests that, though chronic exposure to flavanols did not affect TR, flavanols consumption was long enough to exert positive vascular effects.These results contribute to existing research regarding flavanols having vascular health benefit; acutely via an improvement in cutaneous microvascular endothelial function and chronically via a reduction in blood pressure.Further studies are required to elucidate underlying mechanisms.
Author: Michelle Harrison
Language: English
Subfield: Biochemistry (medical)
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1709041787