Taurine Prevents Hypertension and Increases Exercise Capacity in Rats With Fructose-Induced Hypertension

Background

Fructose-induced hypertension was used to test the hypothesis thattaurine supplementation and/or exercise can prevent hypertensionand increase exercise capacity.

Methods

Five groups of 15 Sprague–Dawley rats were allocated and designated as control, high fructose–fed (fructose), high fructose–fed plus exercise (FE), high fructose–fed plus 2% taurine supplement(FT) and high fructose–fed plus 2% taurine supplement and exercise(FET) groups. Noninvasive systolic blood pressure (SBP) was recordedweekly and invasive arterial blood pressure (ABP) was recorded atthe end of the 4-week trial. Three consecutive swimming tests wereperformed in the selected rats from each group and the plasmabiomarkers were measured in the remaining rats.

Results

Noninvasive SBP differed significantly (P < 0.001) from week 3, bothnoninvasive and invasive ABP increased significantly (P < 0.001),and exercise capacity significantly decreased (P < 0.001) in thefructose group compared with the control group. The individual effects of swimming and taurine supplementation were incapable of preventing the development of hypertension and SBP significantly(P < 0.001) increased in the FE and FT groups; exercise capacity in those groups remained similar to control. The combined effects of exercise and taurine all eviated hypertension and significantly increased exercise capacity in the FET group. Insulin resistance increased significantly and plasma nitric oxide (NO) decreased significantly in the F, FE, and FT groups. Both parameters remained similar to control values in the FET group with an increasing antioxidant activity.

Conclusion

Taurine supplementation in combination with exercise prevents hypertension and increases exercise capacity by possibly antioxidation and maintaining NO concentrations.

American Journal of Hypertension, advance online publication 3 February 2011; doi:10.1038/ajh.2011.4

antioxidant, blood pressure, exercise, hypertension, insulin resistance, nitric oxide, taurine

© American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd. 2011