Sex Differences in Heart Rate Variability and Vascular Function Following High-Intensity Interval Training in Young
Myong-Won Seo1, Tae-Young Park2, HyunChul Jung3,4
1Department of Exercise Science, David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
Journal of Human Kinetics
|February 21, 2024
Summary
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) impacts male and female autonomic nervous systems differently. While vascular function shows no sex differences post-HIIT, heart rate variability recovery is faster in males.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Cardiovascular Regulation
- Sex Differences in Sport Science
Background:
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a superior training strategy for both males and females.
- Understanding sex-specific differences in cardiac autoregulation is crucial for optimizing HIIT protocols.
- Previous research has not fully elucidated sex-based variations in autonomic and vascular responses to acute HIIT.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate sex differences in heart rate variability (HRV) and vascular function following a single bout of HIIT in young adults.
- To compare the recovery kinetics of cardiac autonomic regulation between males and females after HIIT.
- To identify potential sex-specific adaptations in autonomic nervous system activity and vascular parameters post-HIIT.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-four physically active young adults (12 males, 12 females) participated.
- Participants completed 10 intervals of HIIT (20s high-intensity cycling at 115-130% Wmax, followed by 100s recovery).
- Cardiac autoregulation (HRV parameters like R-R interval, rMSSD, SDNN, LF, HF, LF/HF) and vascular function (blood pressure, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity) were measured at five time points.
Main Results:
- Males exhibited faster recovery of R-R interval, rMSSD, and SDNN compared to females 15 minutes post-HIIT.
- Females showed greater sympathetic (LF) and parasympathetic (HF) activity, and higher sympathovagal balance (LF/HF) immediately and 15 minutes after HIIT compared to males.
- No significant sex differences were observed in blood pressure or brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity post-HIIT.
Conclusions:
- Following acute HIIT, females demonstrate a more pronounced activation of heart rate variability compared to males.
- While autonomic nervous system responses to HIIT show sex-specific differences, acute vascular function responses do not differ between sexes.
- Future research should explore sex-specific adaptations in cardiac autoregulation following repeated HIIT interventions.
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