AUTHOR=Barnes Matthew J. , Perry Blake G. , Hurst Roger D. , Lomiwes Dominic 

TITLE=Anthocyanin-Rich New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract Supports the Maintenance of Forearm Blood-Flow During Prolonged Sedentary Sitting

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition

VOLUME=7

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2020.00074

DOI=10.3389/fnut.2020.00074

ISSN=2296-861X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objectives:</bold> We examined the acute effects of anthocyanin-rich New Zealand blackcurrant extract and a placebo on hemodynamics during 120 min of sedentary sitting in healthy males. Additionally, we investigated whether changes in resting hemodynamics altered repeated isometric hand-grip exercise performance and post exercise forearm blood flow (FBF).</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Ten healthy males completed two trials during which they ingested either blackcurrant extract (1.87 mg total anthocyanins/kg bodyweight) or placebo powder. Heart rate, blood pressure and forearm blood flow were measured, and venous blood was sampled, prior to and 30, 60, 90 and 120 min-post ingestion. Participants remained seated for the duration of each trial. At 120 min post-ingestion participants completed as many repetitions of isometric hand-grip contractions as possible.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Heart rate, blood pressure and mean arterial pressure changed over time (all <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001) but did not differ between treatments. A treatment x time interaction for FBF (<italic>p</italic> = 0.025) and forearm vascular resistance (FVR) (<italic>p</italic> = 0.002) was found. No difference in the number of isometric hand-grip contractions was observed between treatments (<italic>p</italic> = 0.68) nor was there any treatment x time interaction in post-exercise FBF (<italic>p</italic> = 0.997). Plasma endothelin-1 (<italic>p</italic> = 0.023) and nitrate (<italic>p</italic> = 0.047) changed over time but did not differ between treatments (both <italic>p</italic> &gt; 0.1). Plasma nitrite did not change over time (<italic>p</italic> = 0.732) or differ between treatments (<italic>p</italic> = 0.373).</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> This study demonstrated that acute ingestion of a single dose of blackcurrant extract maintained FBF and FVR during an extended period of sitting; however, this did not influence exercise performance during hand-grip exercise.</p>