Investigation of the Changes in Serum Intercellular and Vascular Adhesion Molecules (ICAM-1 and VCAM-1) and Nitric Oxide Levels in Response to Exercise Training and L-arginine Supplementation in Postmenopausal Hypertensive Women

Introduction: The positive effects of exercise training in modulating cardiovascular risk factors in individuals with hypertension have been reported. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of 8 weeks of combined training and L-arginine supplementation on the serum levels of intercellular and vascular adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 and VCAM-1) and nitric oxide (NO) in postmenopausal hypertensive women. Method: The postmenopausal women with hypertension were assigned into four groups consisting of 12 individuals, including placebo (P), L-arginine (L), training (T), and training+Larginine (TL) groups. The combined training program (resistance-endurance) was conducted 3 sessions per week for 8 weeks. The L-arginine ingestion was 6 g daily. Blood sampling was performed at the beginning and the end of 8 weeks of intervention, and the levels of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and NO were measured. The collected data were analyzed in SPPSS software (version 24), one-way ANOVA, and Tukey post hoc test. Results: The levels of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in the T and TL groups compared to the P and L groups significantly decreased (P<0.05). Significant increases of NO levels in the L (P=0.003), T (P<0.001), and TL (P<0.001) groups compared to the P group, and also a significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure were observed in all intervention groups in comparison to the P group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, L-arginine ingestion and combined training alone or combined together are effective in the reduction of blood pressure in hypertensive patients. Moreover, L-arginine was associated with amplifying combined training effectiveness in decreasing systolic blood pressure. Blood pressure reduction in the above-mentioned groups is probably exerted partly by the upregulation of NO levels