title: Influence of 12-week Nordic Walking training on biomarkers of endothelial function in healthy postmenopausal women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 12-week Nordic Walking (NW) intervention on nitric oxide synthase activity (eNOS), levels of antibodies against oxidatively modified low-density lipoproteins (oLAb), plasma antioxidant capacity (TAC), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) concentration, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and atherosclerosis risk factors (AIP) in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 39 women, divided into two comparable groups: training (N.=20) and control (N.=19), took part in the study. Participants in the training group performed a 12-week supervised NW training: 60-minute sessions of exercise, repeated three times per week. The biochemical and anthropometric data were obtained before and after the intervention. During the first and the last training sessions, the individual walking distance in trained group was measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the intervention, significant differences in covered distance, body mass, BMI, fat mass, insulin level (P<0.01), systolic blood pressure and TBARS concentration (P<0.05) were found in trained women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Applied training was able to improve functional capacity and body composition in healthy postmenopausal women. It appears to be no direct link between a significant decrease in the level of systolic blood pressure, the level of eNOS activity, TAC, oLAb and plasma TBARS concentration in trained women. It seems probable that NW training would be more effective for postmenopausal women with more severely impaired endothelial function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Biochemistry and Hygiene, Poznań University of Physical Education, Poznań, Poland - bpospieszna@gmail.com.|Department of Tourism and Recreation, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poznań, Poland - bpospieszna@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pospieszna
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Biochemistry and Hygiene, Poznań University of Physical Education, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Karolkiewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education, Poznań University of Physical Education, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tarnas
authors.affiliation: Department of Motor Rehabilitation, Poznań University of Physical Education Poland, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lewandowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Biochemistry and Hygiene, Poznań University of Physical Education, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laurentowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Biochemistry and Hygiene, Poznań University of Physical Education, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Łucja
authors.initials: Ł
authors.lastname: Pilaczyńska-Szcześniak
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001823:Body Composition; D001835:Body Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D013858:Thiobarbiturates / Q000378:metabolism; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D013858:Thiobarbiturates; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; C029684:thiobarbituric acid