Study of aerobic metabolism parameters and heart rate variability and their correlations in elite athletes: a modulatory effect of amaranth oil

Abstract Oxidative stress (OS) and decreased heart rate variability (HRV) are known to be associated with overtraining in athletes. Therefore it is extremely important to estimate profoundness of OS and efficiency of its correction with easy-to-use noninvasive methods. The impact of oil derived from the amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L.) seeds (AmO) on some parameters of aerobic metabolism and HRV was studied in elite athletes. Possible mechanisms explaining the relationship between HRV and aerobic metabolism were estimated with correlation analysis. The effects of AmO administration (1 ml of concentrated oil per day for 21 days) were studied in 36 competitive male athletes. Short time ECG records were performed in supine and orthostatic position before and after AmO administration, time and frequency domain HRV parameters were calculated. The activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive species, oxidative modification proteins (OMP), medium mass molecules, hemoglobi...