title: Parasympathetic nervous activity mirrors recovery status in weightlifting performance after training.
abstract: Heart rate variability (HRV) and parasympathetic power are closely related to the well-being and health status in humans. The main goal of the study was to determine whether these measures can reflect recovery status after weight training. After a 10-day detraining period, 7 weightlifters were challenged with a 2-hour weight training which elicited approximately fourfold increases in circulating muscle creatine kinase level and protracted pain feeling (p < 0.05). Weightlifting performance was then evaluated 3, 24, 48, and 72 hours after training to determine the degree of recovery from fatigue. Heart rate variability, circulating dehydroepiandrostendione sulfate (DHEA-S), and muscle damage markers were measured before each performance test. An electrocardiogram was recorded for 5 minutes continuously at rest in seated positions. After training, weightlifting performance of the subjects decreased below baseline in paralleled with suppressed parasympathetic power (high-frequency [HF] HRV), whereas sympathetic power (normalized low-frequency HRV) was slightly elevated at 3 hours of recovery (p < 0.05). Both weightlifting performances and parasympathetic power returned to baseline values in 24 hours and further increased above baseline during 48-72 hours of recovery in a similar fashion (p < 0.05). Circulating DHEA-S level dropped at 24 hours (p < 0.05) and returned to normal values by 48 hours. Muscle pain increased at 3 hours after training and remained higher than baseline values for the 72-hour recovery period (p < 0.05). Our data suggest that parasympathetic power, indicated by HF HRV, is able to reflect the recovery status of weightlifters after training.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry, Taipei Physical Education College, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jui-Lien
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ding-Peng
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Jo-Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chung-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chih-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Shin-Da
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chiu-Chou
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Terry B J
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Chung-Lan
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Chia-Hua
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kuo
mesh_terms: D056352:Athletes; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D052283:Creatine Kinase, MM Form / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018763:Muscle Fatigue / Q000502:physiology; D010146:Pain / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology; D014891:Weight Lifting / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D052283:Creatine Kinase, MM Form