Title | Effects of Qi-training on heart rate variability. | ||
Author | Lee, Myeong Soo; Huh, Hwa Jeong; Kim, Byung Gi; Ryu, Hoon; Lee, Ho-Sub; Kim, Jong-Moon; Chung, Hun-Taeg | ||
Journal | Am J Chin Med | Publication Year/Month | 2002 |
PMID | 12568274 | PMCID | -N/A- |
Affiliation | 1.Department of Qi-Medicine, Institute of Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan, 570-749, Korea. |
This study investigates changes in autonomic nervous function through Qi-training. The power spectrum of heart rate variability (HRV) was examined in 20 sedentary healthy subjects and 20 Qi-trainees. It was found that Qi-training in healthy young subjects during controlled respiration increases the high frequency (HF) power and decreases the low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) power ratio of HRV. These results support the hypothesis that Qi-training increases cardiac parasympathetic tone. In addition, Qi-trainees were found to have higher parasympathetic heart modulation compared with their age-matched, sedentary counterparts. This augmented HRV in Qi-trainees provides further support for long-term Qi-training as a possible non-pharmacological cardio-protective maneuver. In conclusion, Qi-training may stabilize the autonomic nervous system by modulating the parasympathetic nervous system.