Aging is associated with increased arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity, PWV) and muscle strength/mass loss. Exercise training alone is not always effective to improve PWV and lean mass (LM) in older women. To investigate the independent and combined effects of whole-body vibration training (WBVT) and L-citrulline supplementation on PWV and muscle function in women, forty-one postmenopausal women aged 58 ± 3 years and body mass index (34 ± 2 kg/m(2)) were randomly assigned to the following groups: WBVT, L-citrulline, and WBVT + L-citrulline for 8 weeks. WBVT consisted of four leg exercises three times weekly. Aortic (cfPWV) and leg (faPWV) PWV, leg LM index, leg strength, and body fat percentage (BF%) were measured before and after the interventions. WBVT + L-citrulline decreased cfPWV (-0.91 ± 0.21 m/s, P < 0.01) compared to both groups. All interventions decreased faPWV (P < 0.05) similarly. Leg LM index increased (2.7 ± 0.5%, P < 0.001) after WBVT + L-citrulline compared with L-citrulline. Both WBVT interventions increased leg strength (~37%, P < 0.001) compared to L-citrulline while decreased BF% (~2.0%, P < 0.01). Reductions in cfPWV were correlated with increases in leg LM index (r = -0.63, P < 0.05). Our findings suggest that leg muscle strength and arterial stiffness can be improved after WBVT, but its combination with L-citrulline supplementation enhanced benefits on aortic stiffness and leg LM. Therefore, WBVT + L-citrulline could be an intervention for improving arterial stiffness and leg muscle function in obese postmenopausal women with prehypertension or hypertension, thereby reducing their cardiovascular and disability risk.
Keywords: Arterial stiffness; Body fat; Lean mass; Muscle strength; Vibration exercise; l-Citrulline.
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