Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the postprandial effects of high and low glycemic index (GI) breakfasts on vascular function. It was a crossover trial that included 40 young healthy adults (50% women), aged 20–40 years, who were recruited at primary care settings. They consumed three experimental breakfasts in randomized order, each one separated by a 1-week washout period: (1) control conditions (only water); (2) low GI (LGI) breakfast (29.4 GI and 1489 KJ energy); and (3) high GI (HGI) breakfast (64.0 GI and 1318 KJ energy). Blood samples were collected at 60 and 120 min after each breakfast to determine glucose and insulin levels. Vascular parameters were measured at 15 min intervals. Augmentation index (AIx) was studied as a primary outcome. Secondary outcomes comprised glucose, insulin, heart rate (HR) and pulse pressures (PPs). We found a trend toward increased AIx, HR and PPs for the HGI versus the LGI breakfast. A significant interaction between the type of breakfast consumed and all measured parameters was identified (p < 0.05) except for central PP. Stratifying data by sex, this interaction remained significant for AIx and augmentation pressure only in males (p < 0.05). In conclusion, breakfast GI could affect postprandial vascular responses in young healthy adults.
Highlights
Measures of vascular function are well-established indicators of cardiovascular health [1]
We found no significant differences in vascular parameters when changes in each one of them after consumption of the high GI (HGI) and low GI (LGI) breakfasts were compared, it appears that the HGI breakfast led to a more intense response on Augmentation index (AIx), heart rate (HR), pulse pressures (PPs), and blood glucose and insulin concentrations
These results suggest that the LGI breakfast could provide more favorable acute vascular responses than the HGI breakfast in young healthy adults
Summary
Measures of vascular function are well-established indicators of cardiovascular health [1]. Central arterial stiffness, and indices of aortic wave reflection are more strongly related with cardiovascular risk than peripheral pressures [2,3,4,5]. Even though the postprandial state has been proposed as a contributor to the development of atherosclerosis [8], few studies have investigated the acute effects of food intake on vascular responses. Taylor et al concluded that a liquid mixed meal acutely reduces peripheral and central pressures, aortic wave reflection, and arterial stiffness, all of which may be the result of an increase in insulin and/or visceral vasodilation [9]. There is accumulating evidence that postprandial hyperglycemia promotes endothelial dysfunction by inducing oxidative stress [10,11], whereas results from most studies suggest beneficial effects of insulin in endothelial function [12,13]
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