Abstract
Advancing age is associated with reductions in athletic performance as well as declines in vascular functions in masters athletes. Regular vigorous exercise can prevent or attenuate decreases in both athletic performance and vascular functions in master athletes. Currently, it is not known if vascular functions of masters athletes are not different from younger counterparts when their athletic performance was matched. PURPOSE: The present study was conducted to compare arterial pressure and vascular function between younger and masters road cyclists who were matched for cycling performance. To avoiod the potential issue of sampling less competitive younger cyclists, we recruited younger and developing cyclists. METHODS: Young (16±1 years; n=25) and masters (40±4 years; n=23) apparently healthy road cyclists who had been cycling vigorously >720 min/week (or >200 km/week) were studied. A 20-km time trial time and cycling time to exhaustion during graded exercise tests were used to determine cycling performance. Arterial blood pressure, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) were measured. RESULTS: Mean 20-km time trial, time to exhaustion, and maximum oxygen consumption were not significantly different between young and master road cyclists. Peak power output was higher in masters road cyclists than in young cyclists (p<0.05). Young road cyclists had higher (p<0.05) heart rate at rest, maximum heart rate, and submaximal heart rate during the 20-km time trial than masters cyclists. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure was greater (p<0.05) in masters cyclists (127±12 / 77±11 mmHg) than in young cyclists (119±7 / 63±7 mmHg). Both baPWV (1237±117 vs. 993±105 cm/s) and carotid IMT (0.49±0.07 vs. 0.43±0.02 mm) were significantly higher in masters road cyclists than in young cyclists (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Masters road cyclists demonstrated greater arterial blood pressure and vascular stiffness compared with younger and developing cyclists who were matched for cycling performance.
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