# Exercise dose and metformin for vascular health in adults with metabolic syndrome

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · 2020 · $739,674

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Arterial disease is the leading cause of morbidity/mortality in Metabolic syndrome (MetS). This occurs early as
evidenced by arterial dysfunction that, in turn, raises blood pressure and glucose. Health organizations
recommend exercise in an intensity based manner to promote cardiovascular adaptation and prevent disease.
Metformin is a common anti-diabetes medication that reduces future type 2 diabetes and CVD risk. However,
the optimal exercise dose to be combined with metformin for additive effects on vascular function is unknown.
Based on our preliminary work, our overall hypothesis is that metformin blunts adaptation following high
intensity exercise training (HiEx) by lowering mitochondrial derived oxidative stress signaling. We further
hypothesize that low intensity exercise (LoEx) training combined with metformin will promote additive effects
on vascular function compared to LoEx or HiEx+metformin, and maintain/improve non-exercise physical
activity patterns. In this double-blind trial, obese 30-60y MetS patients will be randomized to: 1) LoEx+placebo;
2) LoEx+metformin, 3) HiEx+placebo; or 4) HiEx+metformin for 16 weeks. We will evaluate measures of
arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity and augmentation index), and nitric oxide-mediated arterial function in
conduit (flow mediated dilation), resistance (post-ischemic flow velocity) and microvascular (contrast enhanced
ultrasound) vessels, before and during a euglycemic clamp pre and post intervention (AIM 1). We will also
assess 24 hr blood pressure as well as determine skeletal muscle metabolic insulin resistance and glucose
tolerance (AIM 2) to address clinical and experimental questions related to health care. Further, we will
examine the effect of metformin on exercise adherence, non-exercise physical activity and quality of life during
the 16 week intervention as well as during an 8 week “free-living” period (Exploratory AIM 3) to improve public
health physical activity recommendations when co-prescribed medication. If these hypothesis are correct, they
will indicate 1) whether and how metformin should be combined with physical activity for CVD prevention, 2)
provide the first indication of whether exercise intensity reduces CVD risk via multi-level vasculature function
vs. metabolic insulin action, 3) provide a rational early treatment for people with MetS. Thus, identification of
the optimal drug to exercise interaction will illuminate how to develop individualized exercise/metformin
prescriptions to correct vascular and ameliorate metabolic insulin resistance that attenuate/prevent progression
to future diabetes and the CV morbidity and mortality.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9934226
- **Project number:** 5R01HL130296-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Steven K Malin
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $739,674
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-02-01 → 2020-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9934226

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9934226, Exercise dose and metformin for vascular health in adults with metabolic syndrome (5R01HL130296-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9934226. Licensed CC0.

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