Journal article
Tetrahydrobiopterin Supplementation Enhances Carotid Artery Compliance in Healthy Older Men: A Pilot Study
American journal of hypertension, Vol.25(10), pp.1050-1054
2012
DOI: 10.1038/ajh.2012.70
PMCID: PMC3482981
PMID: 22673017
Abstract
Background We performed a pilot study to test the hypothesis that acute oral ingestion of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH 4), a key cofactor modulating vascular nitric oxide (NO) synthase activity, improves large elastic artery stiffness with aging in men.MethodsHealthy older (63 2 years; n = 8) and young (agE 25 1 years; n = 6) men were studied 3 h after ingestion of BH 4 (10 mgkg 1 body weight) or placebo on separate days in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study.ResultsBaseline carotid artery compliance was 37% lower (0.17 0.02 vs. 0.22 0.02 mm/mm Hg10 1) and Β-stiffness was 42% higher (7.3 1.1 vs. 4.2 0.5 AU) in the older men (both P 0.05). BH 4 ingestion markedly increased circulating BH 4 concentrations in both groups (17-19-fold, P 0.05), but increased compliance (39% to 0.23 0.02 mm/mm Hg. 10 1, P 0.01) and decreased Β-stiffness index (-27% to 5.3 0.7 AU, P 0.01) only in the older men. BH 4 also reduced carotid systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the older men (P 0.05).ConclusionsThese preliminary results support the possibility that limited BH 4 bioavailability contributes to impaired carotid artery compliance in healthy older men. Further studies are needed to determine if increasing BH 4 bioavailability though oral BH 4 supplementation may have therapeutic efficacy for improving large elastic artery compliance and reducing central SBP with aging. © 2012 American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Tetrahydrobiopterin Supplementation Enhances Carotid Artery Compliance in Healthy Older Men: A Pilot Study
- Creators
- Gary L Pierce - University of Colorado BoulderKristen L Jablonski - University of Colorado BoulderAshley E Walker - University of Colorado BoulderSara Marian Seibert - University of Colorado BoulderAllison E Devan - University of Colorado BoulderStephen M Black - Augusta UniversityShruti Sharma - Augusta UniversityDouglas R Seals - University of Colorado Boulder
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- American journal of hypertension, Vol.25(10), pp.1050-1054
- Publisher
- Nature Publishing Group
- DOI
- 10.1038/ajh.2012.70
- PMID
- 22673017
- PMCID
- PMC3482981
- ISSN
- 0895-7061
- eISSN
- 1879-1905
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 2012
- Academic Unit
- Health and Human Physiology; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984267141202771
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