Increased systemic endothelial-dependent microvascular reactivity after ingestion of a high-carbohydrate snack in young, healthy volunteers.

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluated the acute effect of a high-carbohydrate snack (HCS) on systemic microvascular function of healthy, young volunteers, using laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI).

METHODS

Cutaneous microvascular blood flow was assessed in the forearm with LSCI coupled to iontophoresis of acetylcholine, using increasing anodal currents, before and after (25 min) the ingestion of a HCS or water (control). Twenty volunteers (10 male) received a single HCS (70 g of carbohydrates) in the fasting state in the morning.

RESULTS

The area under the curve (AUC) of acetylcholine-induced microvascular vasodilation increased from 17,847 ± 4539 to 20,315 ± 7168 arbitrary perfusion units/s (P = 0.03) after ingestion of a HCS, but was unchanged after the ingestion of water (P = 0.22).

CONCLUSION

A single snack consisting on an acute oral load of carbohydrates induced a significant increase of endothelium-dependent microvascular vasodilation in healthy, young subjects.