Cardiovascular diseases are part of preventable chronic diseases that are related to lifestyle changes. The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases is increasing globally. According to the World Health Organization’s report, over 17.5 million people die annually due to cardiovascular diseases. This article examines the impact of eight weeks of chitosan supplementation and combined exercise on blood pressure and lipid profile in women with high blood pressure.
Main Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Diseases
Hypertension, dyslipidemia, and abnormal increases or decreases in serum lipid levels are major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and cause over 80% of deaths and disabilities in low- and middle-income countries. Hypertension is common worldwide, with one in three adults in the United States diagnosed with high blood pressure. Moreover, 90% of individuals in middle-aged and elderly populations are at risk of developing high blood pressure.
The Relationship Between Cardiovascular Diseases and Dyslipidemia
In most cases, cardiovascular diseases are associated with dyslipidemia. There are widespread changes in serum lipid profiles across various population groups worldwide, with increased levels of:
- Total serum cholesterol
- Triglycerides
- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
- Decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL)
These changes are linked to the main risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.
Promoting Heart and Vascular Health
Lifestyle changes should be considered as a guide to reducing inactivity and promoting healthy dietary patterns. It is evident that inactivity and high-fat diets lead to:
- Insulin resistance
- Fat oxidation
- Dyslipidemia
In contrast, regular exercise increases maximum oxygen uptake, boosts energy from fat reserves, and reduces dyslipidemia. Optimizing lifestyle is the first line of treatment for overweight or obese patients. Some foods may also help manage and treat metabolic syndrome components like:
- Obesity
- Hypertension
- Lipid disorders
Moreover, regular physical activity is an effective adjunctive treatment for managing and controlling blood pressure.
Controlling Blood Pressure with Exercise
Regular aerobic and resistance exercises are fundamental for blood pressure control. Studies have shown that combined exercise programs lead to:
- Increased muscular strength
- Favorable lipid profile changes
- Increased apolipoprotein levels
Research supports the beneficial effects of regular physical activity on cholesterol levels. When combined exercise is implemented in older patients with coronary artery disease, it has the most positive impact on blood lipid profiles. These positive changes in blood lipids are associated with weight and body fat loss. Changes in metabolism, such as using lipids instead of glycogen, may also contribute to these improvements.
Introduction to Chitosan
Chitosan is a natural polysaccharide derived from glucosamine residues in chitin, the second most abundant biopolymer on Earth, sourced primarily from the exoskeletons of crustaceans or fungal cell walls. Chitosan is derived from deacetylation of chitin and is recommended as a weight loss supplement and adjunctive treatment for:
- Blood lipids
- Blood glucose
- Blood pressure
Natural or functional food products with protective heart and vascular properties may help patients achieve and maintain cardiovascular health and improve lipid disorders through novel mechanisms.
Mechanism of Chitosan
Chitosan is not digested in the digestive system. It swells and induces satiety by physically filling the stomach. By inhibiting pancreatic lipase activity, chitosan can reduce fat absorption in the intestines. It can also bind to fat and deposit it in the intestines, preventing absorption. Chitosan cations bind to the carboxyl groups of fatty acids and bile acids, disrupting the emulsification of neutral lipids like cholesterol and other sterols by creating hydrophobic interactions. This reduces the absorption of fat and cholesterol in the digestive tract.
Adverse Biochemical Effects of Chitosan
One of the adverse biochemical effects of chitosan is the reduced absorption of minerals and fat-soluble vitamins. In addition to trapping lipids and cholesterol, chitosan gels formed in the intestines bind to minerals and vitamins. When chitosan is administered with sodium ascorbate to rats fed a high-fat diet for two weeks, it led to a significant decrease in the absorption of minerals, which was associated with reduced bone mineral content.
Investigating the Effects of Exercise in Individuals with Cardiovascular Disease
Extensive research has examined the effects of exercise in individuals with cardiovascular disease, but there is limited research on women with hypertension. The choice of a combined exercise program for this study was based on the potential additive effects of aerobic and resistance training in reducing cardiovascular risk factors. Combined exercise results in temporary reductions in blood pressure, even after a single session, due to a phenomenon known as post-exercise hypotension (PEH). Factors such as:
- Intensity
- Duration
- Type of exercise
- Resting blood pressure levels
may influence the range and duration of PEH and lead to various cardiovascular system responses that significantly alter blood pressure in acute, subacute, and chronic phases after exercise.
Clinical Trials on Chitosan Supplementation
Previous clinical trials have investigated the effects of chitosan supplementation on blood pressure and lipid profiles, either alone or combined with a simple exercise program. This study aimed to explore the additive effect of chitosan supplementation and combined aerobic and resistance exercise on blood pressure and lipid profile. This innovative approach could serve as an adjunctive treatment for managing hypertension and lipid profile issues as part of a healthy lifestyle with proper medical supervision.
Research Results
Given the importance of hypertension, with one in three adults affected by the condition, the results of this study emphasize the significant impact of chitosan supplementation in both the chitosan group and the combined chitosan-exercise group on systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Chitosan may thus be considered a new adjunctive treatment for hypertension alongside a healthy lifestyle. Moreover, based on the observed properties in previous studies and the changes observed in this clinical trial on lipid profile indicators such as:
- Total cholesterol
- Triglycerides
- LDL
- HDL
- VLDL
- Weight reduction
- Improved body composition index
Chitosan could be regarded as a dietary supplement in conjunction with weight loss programs and even independently when combined with regular exercise.
Reference: Rasouli Jokar E., & Shamlou Kazemi S. The Effect of Eight-Weeks Chitosan Supplementation and Combined Exercise on Blood Pressure and Lipid Profile of Women With Hypertension. Journal of Sport Biosciences. 2023; 15 (1): 37-46.