Cardiovascular autonomic function correlates with the response to aerobic training in healthy sedentary subjects

Abstract

Individual responses to aerobic training vary from almost none to a 40% increase in aerobic fitness in sedentary subjects. The reasons for these differences in the training response are not well known. We hypothesized that baseline cardiovascular autonomic function may influence the training response. The study population included sedentary male subjects (n = 39, 35 +/- 9 yr). The training period was 8 wk, including 6 sessions/wk at an intensity of 70-80% of the maximum heart rate for 30-60 min/session. Cardiovascular autonomic function was assessed by measuring the power spectral indexes of heart rate variability from 24-h R-R interval recordings before the training period. Mean peak O2 uptake increased by 11 +/- 5% during the training period (range 2-19%). The training response correlated with age (r = -0.39, P = 0.007) and with the values of the high-frequency (HF) spectral component of R-R intervals (HF power) analyzed over the 24-h recording (r = 0.46, P = 0.002) or separately during the daytime hours (r = 0.35, P = 0.028) and most strongly during the nighttime hours (r = 0.52, P = 0.001). After adjustment for age, HF power was still associated with the training response (e.g., P = 0.001 analyzed during nighttime hours). These data show that cardiovascular autonomic function is an important determinant of the response to aerobic training among sedentary men. High vagal activity at baseline is associated with the improvement in aerobic power caused by aerobic exercise training in healthy sedentary subjects.

Psyhical effort, energy expediture, and motivation in structured and unstructured active video games: a randomized controlled trial

“…In session 4 (the beginning of the 2 nd week), a fall of HR responses were noted in both groups. This phenomenon may be observed in sedentary individuals after initiating systematic physical activities [31,32]. The authors' hypothesis is that these variations should be due to decreased vagal stimulation, characterized by sympathetic and parasympathetic reorganization, regardless of the exercise intensity level [33].…”

Heart rate variability is related to training load variables in interval running exercises

“…SDNN) methods, HRV is greatly diminished during exercise when compared to rest (Arai et al 1989;Casadei et al 1995;Macor et al 1996;Perini et al 1990;Pichon et al 2004). HRV decreases as a function of exercise intensity, almost disappearing at exercise intensities exceeding 50-60% of VO2max (Hautala et al 2003;Tulppo et al 1998) or the ventilatory threshold (Yamamoto et al 1991). Therefore, intensity seems to be the main factor affecting HRV during exercise.…”

“…It could be speculated that the large individual variation in vagal modulation during rest may affect the results of MODE exercise. Vagal activation decreases significantly around 50 -60 % of VO2max (Hautala et al 2003;Tulppo et al 1998), so the recovery after the exercise with the lowest physical TL, without significant contribution of anaerobic processes, might be near the individual resting level. When physical TL of exercise is increased, either by increased intensity or duration, HRV might better describe the actual physiological TL instead of the individual level of resting vagal modulation.…”

“…Age, sex, and ethnic origin seem to have only minor effect on human responses to regular physical activity, whereas the initial training status and genetic factors are significant contributors to "trainability" of individuals (Bouchard & Rankinen, 2001). No single marker has been identified that can accurately assess how an athlete is adapting and responding to a training programme (Borresen & Lambert, 2008a), but the resting level of HRV has been found to correlate with response to aerobic training in healthy sedentary subjects (Hautala et al 2003). …”

Autonomic cardiac regulation and morpho-physiological responses to eight week training preparation in junior soccer players

“…44, no. 3, 2014, 155-163 doi: 10.5507/ag.2014 have argued that "trainability" is associated with the resting level of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, particularly vagal activity (Botek, McKune, Krejčí, Stejskal, & Gába, 2014;Boutcher et al, 2013;Hautala, Kiviniemi, & Tulppo, 2009;Hautala et al, 2003;Kiviniemi, Hautala, Kinnunen, & Tulppo, 2007;Vesterinen et al, 2013). The use of non-invasive tools, such as resting heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV), for the assessment of training status has become very popular among coaches, and athletes, respectively (Buchheit, 2014).…”