Different exercise training modalities similarly improve heart rate variability in sedentary middle-aged adults: the FIT-AGEING randomized controlled trial

• Published in: European journal of applied physiology Vol. 122; no. 8; pp. 1863 - 1874
• Main Authors: Navarro-Lomas, Ginés, Dote-Montero, Manuel, Alcantara, Juan M. A., Plaza-Florido, Abel, Castillo, Manuel J., Amaro-Gahete, Francisco J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.08.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aging; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Body composition; Clinical trials; Exercise; Fitness training programs; Heart rate; Human Physiology; Interval training; Middle age; NCT; NCT03334357; Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine; Original; Original Article; Physical activity; Physical fitness; Physical training; Sedentary behavior; Sports Medicine; Training; Vagal activity, physical activity; Autonomic nervous system; Cardiometabolic health
• ISSN: 1439-6319; 1439-6327
• DOI: 10.1007/s00421-022-04957-9

Purpose This study aimed to investigate the influence of different exercise training modalities on heart rate variability (HRV) in sedentary middle-aged adults; and to study whether changes in health-related outcomes (i.e., body composition and cardiometabolic risk) are associated with those hypothetical HRV changes in sedentary middle-aged adults. Methods A total of 66 middle-aged adults (53.6 ± 4.4 years old; 50% women) were enrolled in the FIT-AGEING study. We conducted a 12-week randomized controlled trial. The participants were randomly assigned to 4 groups: (a) a control group (no exercise); (b) a physical activity recommendation from the World Health Organization group (PAR); (c) a high-intensity interval training group (HIIT); and (d) a high-intensity interval training group adding whole-body electromyostimulation (HIIT + EMS). Results All exercise training modalities induced changes in HRV parameters (all P  ≤ 0.001) without statistical differences between them (all P  > 0.05). We found associations between changes in body composition and cardiometabolic risk and exercise-related changes in HRV. Conclusion Our results suggest that different exercise interventions (i.e., PAR, HIIT and HIIT + EMS) induced an enhancement of HRV in sedentary middle-aged adults. Our findings support the notion that exercise-related changes in HRV are associated with changes in body composition and cardiometabolic risk after the intervention program Clinical trial registry NCT03334357 (ClinicalTrials.gov). November 7, 2017 retrospectively registered.