The effect of lifelong exercise frequency on arterial stiffness

Abstract

Central arterial stiffness increases with sedentary ageing. While near-daily, vigorous lifelong (>25 years) endurance exercise training prevents arterial stiffening with ageing, this rigorous routine of exercise training over a lifetime is impractical for most individuals. The aim was to examine whether a less frequent 'dose' of lifelong exercise training (four to five sessions per week for > 30 min) that is consistent with current physical activity recommendations elicits similar benefits on central arterial stiffening with ageing. A cross-sectional examination of 102 seniors (>60 years old) who had a consistent lifelong exercise history was performed. Subjects were stratified into four groups based on exercise frequency as an index of exercise 'dose': sedentary: fewer than two sessions per week; casual exercisers: two to three sessions per week; committed exercisers: four to five sessions per week; and Masters athletes: six to seven sessions per week plus regular competitions. Detailed measurements of arterial stiffness and left ventricular afterload were collected. Biological aortic age and central pulse wave velocity were younger in committed exercisers and Masters athletes compared to sedentary seniors. Total arterial compliance index (TACi) was lower, while carotid β-stiffness index and effective arterial elastance were higher in sedentary seniors compared to the other groups. There appeared to be a dose-response threshold for carotid β-stiffness index and TACi. Peripheral arterial stiffness was not significantly different among the groups. These data suggest that four to five weekly exercise sessions over a lifetime is associated with reduced central arterial stiffness in the elderly. A less frequent dose of lifelong exercise (two to three sessions per week) is associated with decreased ventricular afterload and peripheral resistance, while peripheral arterial stiffness is unaffected by any dose of exercise.

The impact of 2 years of high‐intensity exercise training on a model of integrated cardiovascular regulation

“…; Shibata et al . ) imparted in middle age (Howden et al . ) has been demonstrated to induce substantial changes in cardiac compliance.…”

Defining lifelong exercise frequency and arterial stiffness changes in older adults: considerations for sex differences and exercise dose

“…Most recently, the relationships among arterial stiffness, ageing and exercise ‘dose’ were described in an article in The Journal of Physiology (Shibata et al . ). The authors sought to test the hypothesis that high lifelong exercise ‘dose’ (e.g.…”

Initiating life‐long aerobic exercise 4–5 days per week before or near age 50 years: is this the ‘holy‐grail’ of preventing age‐related central artery stiffness?

“…The study by Shibata et al . () in this issue of The Journal of Physiology investigated whether the frequency ‘dose’ of ‘lifelong’ habitual aerobic exercise training of 4–5 days week −1 for >30 min day −1 among MA/O adults, was sufficient to lower central artery stiffness compared with 2–3 days week −1 or <2 days week −1 . In a cross‐sectional study from the well characterized Cooper Centre Longitudinal Study, they studied four groups of MA/O adults who consistently reported the same level of regular aerobic exercise in repeated follow‐up exams over 20 or more years.…”