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Int J Sports Med 2019; 40(14): 886-896
DOI: 10.1055/a-1015-0647
Physiology & Biochemistry
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Cardiac Autonomic and Physiological Responses to Moderate- intensity Exercise in Hypoxia

Alessandro Fornasiero
1   CeRiSM, Sport Mountain and Health Research Centre, University of Verona, Rovereto, Italy
2   Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
,
Spyros Skafidas
1   CeRiSM, Sport Mountain and Health Research Centre, University of Verona, Rovereto, Italy
2   Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
,
Federico Stella
1   CeRiSM, Sport Mountain and Health Research Centre, University of Verona, Rovereto, Italy
2   Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
,
Andrea Zignoli
1   CeRiSM, Sport Mountain and Health Research Centre, University of Verona, Rovereto, Italy
3   Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
,
Aldo Savoldelli
1   CeRiSM, Sport Mountain and Health Research Centre, University of Verona, Rovereto, Italy
2   Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
,
Mark Rakobowchuk
4   Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Science, Kamloops, Canada
,
Barbara Pellegrini
1   CeRiSM, Sport Mountain and Health Research Centre, University of Verona, Rovereto, Italy
2   Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
,
Federico Schena
1   CeRiSM, Sport Mountain and Health Research Centre, University of Verona, Rovereto, Italy
2   Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
,
Laurent Mourot
5   EA3920 Prognostic Factors and Regulatory Factors of Cardiac and Vascular Pathologies, Exercise Performance Health Innovation (EPHI) platform, University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
6   National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk, Russia
› Author Affiliations
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Publication History



accepted 02 September 2019

Publication Date:
24 October 2019 (online)

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Abstract

Exercise physiological responses can be markedly affected by acute hypoxia. We investigated cardiac autonomic and physiological responses to different hypoxic training protocols. Thirteen men performed three exercise sessions (5×5-min; 1-min passive recovery): normoxic exercise at 80% of the power output (PO) at the first ventilatory threshold (N), hypoxic exercise (FiO2=14.2%) with the same PO as N (HPO) and hypoxic exercise at the same heart rate (HR) as N (HHR). PO was lower in HHR (21.1±9.3%) compared to N and HPO. Mean HR was higher in HPO (154±11 bpm, p<0.01) than N and HHR (139±10 vs. 138±9 bpm; p=0.80). SpO2 was reduced (p<0.01) to a similar extent (p>0.05) in HPO and HHR compared to N. HR recovery (HRR) and HR variability indices were similar in N and HHR (p>0.05) but reduced in HPO (p<0.05), mirroring a delayed parasympathetic reactivation. Blood lactate and ventilation were similar in N and HHR (p>0.05) and increased in HPO (p<0.001). During recovery oxygen consumption and ventilation were similar in N and HHR (p>0.05) and increased in HPO (p<0.01). Moderate HR-matched hypoxic exercise triggers similar cardiac autonomic and physiological responses to normoxic exercise with a reduced mechanical load. On the contrary, the same absolute intensity exercise in hypoxia is associated with increased exercise-induced metabolic stress and delayed cardiac autonomic recovery.

Key words

heart rate recovery - hypoxia - post-exercise recovery, hypoxic exercise - cardiac autonomic activity
 

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