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JOURNAL
OF
SPORTS SCIENCE &
MEDICINE
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Research
article
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POSSIBLE RELATIONSHIP OF FOLIC ACID SUPPLEMENTATION AND IMPROVED FLOW-MEDIATED DILATION IN PREMENOPAUSAL, EUMENORRHEIC ATHLETIC WOMEN |
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Anne Z. Hoch1  ,
Nicholas M. Pajewski2, Raymond G. Hoffmann2, Jane
E. Schimke3 and David D. Gutterman4 |
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1Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery/Cardiovascular Center, 2Division of Biostatistics/Department of Population Health/ General Clinical Research Center, 3Orthopaedic Surgery, 4Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA. |
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© Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (2009) 8, 123 - 129 Search Google Scholar for Citing Articles |
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| ABSTRACT | |||
| The purpose of this study was to determine if six weeks of folic
acid supplementation would improve brachial artery endothelial-dependent
flow-mediated dilation in eumenorrheic female runners with previously normal
serum folate levels. This was a prospective, double-blinded, randomized
pilot study with convenience sampling. Sixteen eumenorrheic subjects who
were not taking birth control pills and who ran at least 20 miles/week were
randomly assigned to 10 mg/day of folic acid supplementation or placebo
for at least 6 weeks. Serum folate levels and brachial artery measurements
were made during the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, in a
sedentary state, following an 8 hour fast; a standard ultrasound technique
was used. The brachial artery vasodilator response to reactive hyperemia
was similar between the folic acid (6.6% ± 0.8%, mean ± SE) and placebo
groups (6.5% ± 0.7%) at baseline. After six weeks, there was a significantly
higher change in flow-mediated dilation for the folic acid group (3.5% ±
0.6%) compared to the placebo group (0.1% ± 0.2%) (p = 0.01). Serum folate
levels also increased significantly in the folic acid group following six
weeks of folic acid supplementation. This study demonstrates that brachial
artery flow-mediated dilation improves significantly in eumenorrheic female
runners with previously normal serum folate levels after 6 weeks of supplementation
with folic acid.
Key words: Premenopause, regular menstruation, endothelial function, folate, flow-mediated vasodilation. |
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