Possible mechanisms underlying wheel-running-induced hypotensive effects

Physical activity of moderate intensity, like walking and jogging, can reduce the risk of developing metabolic syndrome and improve hypertension. However, such anti-hypertensive effects have yet to be fully studied. To explore the mechanisms underlying exercise-induced hypotensive effects, normotensive or hypertensive rats were subjected to voluntary wheel-running exercise. In consequence, daily wheel-running exercise appears to decrease resting blood pressure by multiple mechanisms. This short review focuses on possible mechanisms underlying the hypotensive effects of wheel-running exercise, i.e., hormonal control, nitric oxide control, sympathetic nervous control and central control in resting blood pressure regulation. To conclude, a voluntary wheel-running exercise-induced reduction in resting blood pressure may be accomplished via multiple mechanisms, i.e., a combination of 1) attenuated vasoconstriction by hormones, 2) hormone-induced reduction in blood volume, 3) hormone- and/or NO-induced vasodilation, and 4) diminished sympathetic nervous activity by body weight loss / less body weight gain, lower leptin levels and/or downregulation of serotonine 1A receptor gene in the nucleus tractus solitarii.