Background:
Fasting is a physiological state with increasing relevance in both clinical and wellness contexts. While long-term fasting and intermittent fasting regimens have demonstrated cardiometabolic benefits, the acute effects of fasting — particularly on the autonomic nervous system — are less explored. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a non-invasive biomarker for cardiac autonomic tone. Glucose intake following fasting, such as during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), triggers autonomic changes. This study investigates short-term autonomic reactivity to fasting by analyzing HRV responses to glycemic fluctuations.
Objective: This study aims to explore the immediate effects of fasting-induced glycemic fluctuations on heart rate variability (HRV) indices, highlighting potential autonomic shifts.
Materials and Methods:
Dataset: Open-access dataset from PLOS ONE titled "The relationship between heart rate variability and glucose clearance in healthy men and women." Participants: Healthy adults aged 18–35 years. Protocol: OGTT with blood glucose measured at fasting (V1Pre), 30 minutes (V1Thirty), 1 hour (V1hr), and 2 hours (V1twohr) post-glucose. HRV metrics: RMSSD, SDNN, HF, LF, LF/HF, average HR. Statistical Analysis: Spearman and Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated using Python. A heatmap was created to visualize results. Significance: p < 0.05.
Results:
RMSSD and HF showed moderate negative correlation with 30- and 60-minute glucose levels, p < 0.05. HR positively correlated with glucose at those timepoints, p < 0.05. SDNN and LF/HF showed variable, non-significant patterns, p < 0.05. These results suggest transient vagal withdrawal during glucose-induced glycemic peaks without a sympathetic increase. Findings align with known physiology: glucose intake stimulates insulin secretion and vagal withdrawal, reducing HRV. While prior research used HRV as a predictor of glucose clearance, this study focuses on dynamic autonomic responses.
These observations may help identify early autonomic dysfunction and inform dietary or lifestyle interventions such as intermittent fasting.
Conclusion:
Short-term glycemic changes after fasting can reduce parasympathetic cardiac activity, as reflected in HRV metrics. Monitoring HRV responses may offer insights for early metabolic risk evaluation and preventative cardiology.
Keywords: heart rate variability; fasting; oral glucose tolerance test; autonomic nervous system; parasympathetic tone; glycemic response; metabolic health.
References:
1. Thayer J.F., Yamamoto S.S., Brosschot J.F. The relationship of autonomic imbalance, heart rate variability and cardiovascular disease risk factors // International Journal of Cardiology. – 2010. – Vol. 141, No. 2. – P. 122–131.
2. Zucker I.H., Patel K.P., Schultz H.D. Autonomic regulation of cardiovascular function in health and disease: advances and clinical implications // American Journal of Physiology – Heart and Circulatory Physiology. – 2001. – Vol. 280, No. 5. – P. H1975–H1981.
3. Lee D.Y., Kim J.H., Cho Y.R., Lee M.H., Park J.W. The relationship between heart rate variability and glucose clearance in healthy men and women // PLOS ONE. – 2019. – Vol. 14, No. 9. – e0222202. – DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0222202
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