Plasma renin activity, angiotensin II, and aldosterone during the hypnotic suggestion of running

Abstract

The plasma renin activity (PRA), angiotensin II and aldosterone concentrations, heart rate and blood pressure of four male athletes were measured before, during and after a hypnotically suggested run. While under hypnosis the test subjects were once again brought through a training exercise of 3 × 300 m sprints that they had run about one year earlier. This hypnotic ‘run’ caused changes in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (R-A-A) system of the athletes similar to but smaller than accused by the actual exercise. The maximal mean increase in PRA, found 30 min after the hypnotic ‘run’, was 26.7% (P<0.05) and that in plasma angiotensin II concentration 136% (P<0.05) when compared to the values before the ‘warming-up’ period. However, the hypnotic suggestions of running caused no significant increase in plasma aldosterone concentrations. ‘Running’ also caused a significant increase in the heart rate (37.9%; P<0.05) and systolic blood pressure (8.7%; P<002) and a decrease in diastolic blood pressure (12.1%; P<005). The serum potassium concentration of the runners was after the ‘run’ slightly (9.9%), but significantly (P<0.025) increased. During the study there were no significant changes in serum sodium or haematocrit values. Our study demonstrates that mental experience of running, as experienced under hypnosis, without muscular exercise, can cause changes in the heart rate, blood pressure and in the R-A-A system similar to those found during actual exercise. This would suggest that mental factors contribute significantly to the haemodynamic changes and their control in physical exercise.

Key Words:

• blood pressure
• heart rate
• haematocrit
• serum potassium
• serum sodium