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Repeated apnea-induced contraction of the spleen in cyclists does not enhance performance in a subsequent time-trial

  • Original Article
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Abstract

Purpose

Splenic contraction induced by repeated apneas has been shown to increase oxygen availability. Our aim was to determine whether repeated maximal voluntary apnea enhances the performance of cyclists in a subsequent 4-km time trial.

Methods

Seven male cyclists [age: 27.1 ± 2.1 years; height: 182 ± 8 cm; body mass: 74.8 ± 9.2 kg; peak oxygen uptake: 56.9 ± 6.6 mL min−1 kg−1 (mean ± SD)] performed a 4-km time trial on an ergometer with and without four prior maximal bouts of apnea interspersed with 2 min of recovery.

Results

The average power output during the time trial was similar with (293 ± 48 W) and without (305 ± 42 W) prior apnea (P = 0.11, d = 0.27). The spleen was reduced in size after the fourth bout of apnea (−12.4 ± 9.0 %), as well as one (−36.6 ± 10.3 %) and 10 min (−19.5 ± 17.9 %) after the time trial, while with normal breathing the spleen was smaller one (−35.0 ± 11.3 %) and 10 min (−23.4 ± 19.7 %) after the time trial. Heart rate; oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide production; tissue oxygen saturation; and the lactate concentration, pH, oxygen saturation, level of hemoglobin and hematocrit of the blood were similar under both conditions.

Conclusions

Our present findings reveal that four apneas by cyclists prior to a 4-km time trial led to splenic contraction, but no change in mean power output, the level of hemoglobin, hematocrit, oxygen saturation of the m. vastus lateralis or oxygen uptake.

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Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

Hb:

Hemoglobin

HbO2 :

Oxy-hemoglobin

Hct:

Hematocrit

HHb:

Deoxy-hemoglobin

NIRS:

Near-infrared spectroscopy

pCO2 :

Partial pressure of carbon dioxide

pO2 :

Partial pressure of oxygen

SaO2 :

Oxygen saturation

TSI:

Tissue saturation index

TT:

Time trial

VO2peak :

Peak oxygen uptake

W:

Watt

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Acknowledgments

The authors extend their sincere thanks to Dr. Thomas Streicher for help with the laboratory analyses and to Dr. Christian Keller for technical help.

Conflict of interest

None of the authors has any conflicts of interest to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Integrative and Experimental Training Science, Department of Sport Science, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, University of Würzburg, Judenbühlweg 11, 97082, Würzburg, Germany

    Billy Sperlich

  2. Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre, Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, 83125, Östersund, Sweden

    Billy Sperlich, Christoph Zinner & Hans-Christer Holmberg

  3. Department III of Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, 50937, Cologne, Germany

    Roman Pfister & Guido Michels

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  1. Billy Sperlich
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  2. Christoph Zinner
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  3. Roman Pfister
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  4. Hans-Christer Holmberg
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  5. Guido Michels
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Billy Sperlich.

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Communicated by Peter Krustrup.

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Sperlich, B., Zinner, C., Pfister, R. et al. Repeated apnea-induced contraction of the spleen in cyclists does not enhance performance in a subsequent time-trial. Eur J Appl Physiol 115, 205–212 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-3003-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-3003-x

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