title: Association between heart rate variability and training response in sedentary middle-aged men.
abstract: The effect of exercise training on heart rate variability (HRV) and improvements in peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) was examined in sedentary middle-aged men. The HRV and absolute and relative VO2peak of training (n = 19) and control (n = 15) subjects were assessed before and after a 24-session moderate intensity exercise training programme. Results indicated that with exercise training there was a significantly increased absolute and relative VO2peak (P < 0.005) for the training group (12% and 11% respectively) with no increase for the control group. The training group also displayed a significant reduction in resting heart rate; however, HRV remained unchanged. The trained subjects were further categorized into high (n = 5) and low (n = 5) HRV groups and changes in VO2peak were compared. Improvements in both absolute and relative VO2peak were significantly greater (P > 0.005) in the high HRV group (17% and 20% respectively) compared to the low HRV group (6% and 1% respectively). The groups did not differ in mean age, pretraining oxygen consumption, or resting heart rate. These results would seem to suggest that a short aerobic training programme does not alter HRV in middle-aged men. Individual differences in HRV, however, may be associated with VO2peak response to aerobic training.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Science, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Boutcher
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004562:Electrocardiography; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology