Association between aerobic exercise and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentration in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

PURPOSE: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the effect of aerobic exercise on circulating vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in adults, given the inconsistent results in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which is the basis for our investigation. METHODS: A comprehensive search of ISI Web of Science, PubMed/MEDLINE, and Scopus was conducted up to May 2025. Thirteen RCTs satisfied eligibility criteria. We performed a random-effects meta-analysis to estimate the overall Standrad mean difference (SMD) in VEGF between aerobic exercise group and control group. We conducted subgroup analyses dated on exercise intensity, duration, and biological sample (serum versus plasma). RESULTS: = 32.9%; τ² = 0.030; PI = -0.5 to 0.35(. Observed reduction in VEGF levels occurred in the studies utilizing interventions with a duration of ≤ 8 weeks. Evidence certainty was rated as very low. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that aerobic exercise does not have significant overall influence on circulating VEGF levels. However, VEGF reductions may subsequently occur after short-duration interventions. Further research is needed with larger high-quality RCTs to verify these associations and further explore the mechanisms.