Histamine and Cardiovascular Adaptation to Endurance Exercise

Project files are comprised of 1 page pdf and presentation recording in mp4 format.This study aims to determine whether consuming antihistamines prior to exercise would reduce the positive adaptations of exercise training. With repeated exercise, we will see changes in aerobic capacity that come from the enhanced ability to utilize or deliver oxygen to the working muscle more efficiently. One mechanism to improve oxygen delivery is through reduction in arterial stiffness. This experiment examined how these variables changed during 6-week exercise training regimen with and without antihistamines. Histamine is released during exercise and causes physiological changes following exercise such as reduction in blood pressure and differences in gene expression related to adaptation in previously active skeletal muscle. There were two groups that went through the training regimen: the control group (placebo) and the histamine receptor blockade group (antihistamine). Vascular measurements were taken using applanation tonometry with pencil like pressure transducers placed over the artery of interest. Results showed that VO2peak and maximum workload increased significantly overtime but not between groups. Arterial stiffness, measured as pulse wave velocity (PWV), of the conduit and peripheral arteries did not significantly change between overtime and between groups. Therefore, arterial stiffness does not play a role in changes in aerobic capacity and histamine did not impact a change in arterial stiffness with exercise training.Peter O’Day Fellowship in Biological Science