Heart Rate Variability in Responders and Non- Responders to Live-Moderate, Train-Low Altitude Training

Authors: Michael J. Hamlin, Apiwan Manimmanakorn, Gavin R. Sandercock, Jenny J. Ross, Robert H. Creasy, John Hellemans

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of an altitude training camp on heart rate variability and performance in elite triathletes. Ten athletes completed 20 days of live-high, train-low training at 1650m. Athletes underwent pre and post 800-m swim time trials at sea-level, and two heart rate variability tests at 1650m on the first and last day of the training camp. Based on their time trial results, athletes were divided into responders and non-responders. Relative to the non-responders, the responders sympathetic-toparasympathetic ratio decreased substantially after 20 days of altitude training (-0.68 ± 1.08 and -1.2 ± 0.96, mean ± 90% confidence interval for supine and standing respectively). In addition, sympathetic activity while standing was also substantially lower post-altitude in the responders compared to the non-responders (-1869 ± 4764 ms2). Results indicate that responders demonstrated a change to more vagal predominance compared to non-responders.

Keywords: parasympathetic predominance, poor performance, triathlon, 800-m swim

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1072834

References:

[1] D.M. Bailey and B. Davies, "Physiological implications of altitude training for endurance performance at sea level: a review," Br J Sports Med, vol. 31, pp. 183-190, 1997.
[2] R.F. Chapman, J. Stray-Gundersen and B.D. Levine, "Individual variation in response to altitude training," J Appl Physiol, vol. 85, pp. 1448-1456, 1998.
[3] C. Dehnert, M. Huetler, Y. Liu, E. Menold, C. Netzer, R. Schick, B. Kubanek, M. Lehmann, D. Boening and J.M. Steinacker, "Erythropoiesis and performance after two weeks of living high and training low in well trained triathletes," Int J Sports Med, vol. 23, pp. 561-566, 2002.
[4] W.C. Adams, E.M. Bernauer, D.B. Dill and J.B.J Bomar, "Effects of equivalent sea-level and altitude training on VO2max and running performance," J Appl Physiol, vol. 39, pp. 262-266, 1975.
[5] C. Gore, N. Craig, A. Hahn, A. Rice, P. Bourdon, S. Lawrence, C. Walsh, T. Stanef, P. Barnes, R. Parisotto, D. Martin and D. Pyne, "Altitude training at 2690m does not increase total haemoglobin mass or sea level VO2max in world champion track cyclists" J Sci Med Sport, vol. 1, pp. 156-170, 1998.
[6] M.J. Hamlin and J. Hellemans, "Effect of intermittent normobaric hypoxic exposure at rest on haematological, physiological and performance parameters in multi-sport athletes," J Sports Sci, vol. 25, pp. 431-441, 2007.
[7] B.D. Levine and J. Stray-Gundersen, "Point: Positive effects of intermittent hypoxia (live high:train low) on exercise performance are mediated primarily by augmented red cell volume," J Appl Physiol, vol. 99, pp. 2053-2055, 2005.
[8] C.J. Gore and W.G. Hopkins, "Counterpoint: Positive effects of intermittent hypoxia (live high:train low) on exercise performance are not mediated primarily by augmented red cell volume," J Appl Physiol, vol. 99, pp. 2055-2058, 2005.
[9] L. Bosquet, S. Merkari, A. Arvisais and A.E. Aubert, "Is heart rate a convenient tool to monitor over-reaching? A systematic review of the literature," Br J Sports Med, vol. 42, pp. 709-714, 2008.
[10] C.M. Lee, R.H. Wood and M.A. Welsch, "Influence of short-term endurance exercise training on heart rate variability," Med Sci Sports Exerc, vol. 35, pp. 961-969, 2003.
[11] F. Iellamo, J.M. Legramante, F. Pigozzi, A. Spataro, G. Norbiato, D. Lucini and M. Pagani, "Conversion from vagal to sympathetic predominance with strenuous training in high-performance world class athletes," Circulation, vol. 105, pp. 2719-2718, 2002.
[12] L. Schmitt, P. Hellard, G.P. Millet, B. Roels, J.P. Richalet and J.P. Fouillot, "Heart rate variability and performance at two different altitudes in well-trained swimmers," Int J Sports Med, vol. 27, pp. 226- 231, 2006.
[13] D.J. Harriss and G.Atkinson, "International Journal of Sports Medicine - ethical standards in sport and exercise science research," Int J Sports Med, vol. 30, pp. 701-701, 2009.
[14] E.W. Banister and T.W. Calvert, "Planning for future performance: implications for long term training," Can J Appl Sports Sci, vol. 5, pp. 170-176, 1980.
[15] D. Nunan, G. Donovan, D.G. Jakovljevic, L.D. Hodges, G.R. Sandercock and D.A. Brodie, "Validity and reliability of short-term heart-rate variability from the Polar S810" Med Sci Sports Exerc, vol. 41, pp. 243-250, 2009.
[16] Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology, "Heart rate variability; standards of measurement, physiological interpretation and clinical use," Circulation, vol. 93, pp. 1043-1065, 1996. J.P. Niskanen, M.P. Tarvainen, P.P. Ranta-aho and P.A. Karjalainen, "Software for advanced HRV analysis- Comput Meth Prog Bio, vol. 76, pp. 73-81, 2004.
[17] W. Gersh, "Smoothness priors" in New directions in time series analysis, part II, D. Brillinger, P. Caines, J. Geweke, E. Parzen, M. Rosenblatt and M.S. Taqqu Ed. Berlin: Springer, 1991, pp. 113-146.
[18] W.G. Hopkins, J.A. Hawley and L.M. Burke, "Design and analysis of research on sport performance enhancement," Med Sci Sports Exerc, vol. 31, pp. 472-485, 1999.
[19] A.M. Batterham and W.G. Hopkins, "Making meaningful inferences about magnitudes," Int J Sports Physiol Perform, vol. 1, pp. 50-57, 2006.
[20] C.D. Paton and W.G. Hopkins, "Competitive performance of elite Olympic-distance triathletes: reliability and smallest worthwhile enhancement," Sportscience, vol. 9, pp. 1-5, 2005.
[21] J. Cohen, Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1988.
[22] P.U. Saunders, R.D. Telford, D.D. Pyne, C.J. Gore and A.G. Hahn, "Improved race performance in elite middle-distance runners after cumulative altitude exposure," Int J Sports Physiol Perform, vol. 4, pp. 134-138, 2009.
[23] E.Y. Robertson, R.J. Aughey, J.M. Anson, W.G. Hopkins and D.B. Pyne, "Effects of simulated and real altitude exposure in elite swimmers," J Strength Cond Res, vol. 24, pp. 487-493, 2010.
[24] P.N. Ainslie and M.J. Poulin, "Ventilatory, cerebrovascular, and cardiovascular interactions in acute hypoxia: regulation by carbon dioxide," J Appl Physiol, vol. 97, pp. 149-159, 2004.
[25] B. Friedmann, F. Frese, E. Menold, F. Kauper, J. Jost and P. Bärtsch P, "Individual variation in the erythropoietic response to altitude training in elite junior swimmers," Br J Sports Med, vol. 39, pp.148-153, 2005.
[26] C. Passino, L. Bernardi, G. Spadacini, A. Calciati, R. Robergs, I. Anand, R. Greene, E. Martignoni and O. Appenzeller, "Autonomic regulation of heart rate and peripheral circulation: comparison of high altitude and sea level residents," Clin Sci, vol. 91, pp. 81-83, 1996.
[27] L.D. DeBeck, S.R. Petersen, K.E. Jones and M.K. Stickland. "Heart rate variability and muscle sympathetic nerve activity response to acute stress: the effect of breathing," Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol, vol. 299, pp. R80-R91, 2010.
[28] J.A. Dempsey and H.V. Forster, "Mediation of ventilatory adaptations," Physiol Rev, vol. 62, pp. 262-346, 1982.
[29] J.A. Vogel and C.W. Harris, "Cardiopulmonary responses of resting man during early exposure to high altitude," J Appl Physiol, vol. 22, pp. 1124-1128, 1967.
[30] A.M. Niess, E. Fehrenbach, G. Strobel, K. Roecker, E.M. Schneider, J. Buergler, S. Fuss, R. Lehmann, H. Northoff and H.H. Dickhuth, "Evaluation of stress response to interval training at low and moderate altitudes," Med Sci Sports Exerc, vol. 35, pp. 263-269, 2003.
[31] L. Mourot, M. Bouhaddi, S. Perrey, S. Cappelle, M.T. Henriet, J.P. Wolf, J.D. Rouillon and J. Regnard, "Decrease in heart rate variability with overtraining: assessment by the Poincare plot analysis," Clin Physiol Funct Imaging, vol. 24, pp. 10-18, 2004.
[32] G.R. Sandercock, P.D. Bromley and D.A. Brodie, "Effects of exercise on heart rate variability: inferences from meta-analysis," Med Sci Sports Exerc, vol. 37, pp. 433-439, 2005.