Exploring heated exercise as a means of preventing the deleterious effects of high-sodium intake in Black women

The purpose of this study was to examine whether hot yoga could attenuate sodium-induced pressor responses and endothelial dysfunction in Black females. Fourteen participants (ages 20-60 yr old) completed 3 days of low-sodium intake (<31 mmol/day) followed by 3 days of high-sodium intake (201 mmol/day). Ambulatory blood pressure (BP), 24-h urinary sodium excretion, flow -mediated dilation (FMD), urine-specific gravity, and hematocrit were measured during/after each dietary phase. Participants were randomly assigned to 4 wk of hot yoga or a wait-list control condition. Wait-listed participants were rerandomized to the yoga group after week 4. Blood pressure and FMD in response to low-and high-sodium diet conditions were assessed again at week 4. Sodium loading significantly increased body mass, laboratory systolic and mean arterial BP and urinary sodium excretion in the group overall (P < 0.05 for all). A significant time-by-group interaction was observed for sodium-induced changes in FMD (P < 0.05). In the yoga group, sodium loading tended to decrease FMD at baseline (P = 0.054), whereas sodium loading signifi- cantly increased FMD after 4 wk of hot yoga (P < 0.05). In conclusion, results suggest that a brief heated exercise intervention can alter sodium's effects on endothelial function in Black female adults.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Hot yoga significantly altered endothelial function responses to high-sodium intake in Black female adults. Blood pressure responses were unaltered by the yoga intervention in this population.

Automated summary

The purpose of this study was to examine whether hot yoga could attenuate sodium-induced pressor responses and endothelial dysfunction in Black females. The study found that after 4 weeks of hot yoga, sodium loading increased endothelial function but did not alter blood pressure responses.