Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Changes in pulmonary oxygen uptake and muscle deoxygenation kinetics during cycling exercise in older women performing walking training for 12 weeks

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

This study examined the hypothesis that walking training (WT) could accelerate the slowed time constant (τ) of phase II in pulmonary oxygen uptake (\(\dot {V}\)O2) on-kinetics in older women. Also, we aimed to demonstrate that O2 delivery and O2 utilization were better matched at the site of gas exchange in exercising muscles when τ\(\dot {V}\)O2 was shortened.

Methods

20 recreationally active older women underwent WT sessions of approximately 60 min, 3–4 times a week for 12 weeks. We assessed \(\dot {V}\)O2, heart rate (HR) and deoxygenated-hemoglobin concentration ([HHb]) kinetics during a constant-load exercise test before training (0 week—Pre), and at 6 and 12 weeks (6 weeks—Mid, 12 weeks—Post) throughout the training period.

Results

Maximal oxygen uptake (\(\dot {V}\)O2max) was unchanged throughout the training program. τHR tended to decline at Mid (58.6 ± 22.0 s), and was significantly shorter at Post (51.7 ± 21.7 s, p = 0.01) compared to Pre (67.1 ± 23.8 s). τ\(\dot {V}\)O2 significantly decreased from 38.9 ± 8.6 s for Pre, to 31.5 ± 7.9 s for Mid (p = 0.02), and 32.3 ± 10.5 s for Post (p = 0.03). The normalized [HHb] to \(\dot {V}\)O2 ratio (Δ[HHb]/Δ\(\dot {V}\)O2) at Pre (1.32 ± 0.93) gradually approached the perfectly matched value (= 1.0) at Mid (1.15 ± 0.61) and Post (1.07 ± 0.52).

Conclusions

The restoration to baseline (≒ 30 s) of the slower τ\(\dot {V}\)O2 due to WT, which may reflect better matching of O2 delivery and O2 utilization at the site of gas exchange, suggests that a longer period of WT could be a useful tool for improving exercise tolerance in older individuals.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

BMI:

Body mass index

bpm:

Beats per minute

Δ[HHb]/Δ\(\dot {V}\)O2 :

Normalized muscle deoxygenation-hemoglobin concentration to pulmonary oxygen uptake ratio

[HHb]:

Deoxygenated-hemoglobin concentration

HR:

Heart rate

Mid:

6 weeks after the start of training program

NIRS:

Near-infrared spectroscopy

η p 2 :

Partial eta squared

PO:

Power output

Post:

12 weeks after the start of training program

Pre:

Before training program

RER:

Respiratory exchange ratio

rpm:

Revolutions per minute

TD:

Time delay

τ :

Time constant

τ \(\dot {V}\)O2 :

Time constant of \(\dot {V}\)O2 in phase II

\(\dot {V}\)CO2 :

Pulmonary carbon dioxide output

\(\dot {V}\)O2 :

Pulmonary oxygen uptake

\(\dot {V}\)E:

Pulmonary ventilation

\(\dot {V}\)O2max :

Maximal oxygen uptake

VT1 :

First ventilatory threshold

W:

Watt

W/H :

Waist-to-hip ratio

WHO:

World Health Organization

WT:

Walking training

References

  • Ayabe H, Hirakoba K (2015) Does advancing age linearly slow down the time constant of phase II in oxygen uptake kinetics during constant-load exercise? Gazz Med Ital 174:529–537

    Google Scholar 

  • Babcock MA, Paterson DH, Cunningham DA (1994a) Effects of aerobic endurance training on gas exchange kinetics of older men. Med Sci Sports Exerc 26:447–452

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Babcock MA, Paterson DH, Cunningham DA, Dickinson JR (1994b) Exercise on-transient gas exchange kinetics are slowed as a function of age. Med Sci Sports Exerc 26:440–446

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Beaver WL, Wasserman K, Whipp BJ (1986) A new method for detecting anaerobic threshold by gas exchange. J Appl Physiol 60: 2020–2027

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Belardinelli R, Georgiou D, Scocco V, Barstow TJ, Purcaro A (1995) Low intensity exercise training in patients with chronic heart failure. J Am Coll Cardiol 26:975–982

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bell C, Paterson DH, Kowalchuk JM, Moy AP, Thorp DB, Noble EG, Taylor AW, Cunningham DA (2001) Determinants of oxygen uptake kinetics in older humans following single-limb endurance exercise training. Exp Physiol 86:659–665

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen J (1988) The analysis of variance and covariance. In: Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences, 2nd edn. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, pp 273–406

    Google Scholar 

  • DeLorey DS, Kowalchuk JM, Paterson DH (2004) Effect of age on O2 uptake kinetics and the adaptation of muscle deoxygenation at the onset of moderate-intensity cycling exercise. J Appl Physiol 97:165–172

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • DeLorey DS, Paterson DH, Kowalchuk JM (2007) Effects of ageing on muscle O2 utilization and muscle oxygenation during the transition to moderate-intensity exercise. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 32:1251–1262 (review)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dogra S, Spencer MD, Murias JM, Paterson DH (2013) Oxygen uptake kinetics in endurance-trained and untrained postmenopausal women. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 38:154–160. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2012-0173

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fukuoka Y, Grassi B, Conti M, Guiducci D, Sutti M, Marconi C, Cerretelli P (2002) Early effects of exercise training on on- and off-kinetics in 50-year-old subjects. Pflugers Arch 443:690–697

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • George MA, McLay KM, Doyle-Baker PK, Raylene A. Reimer RA, Murias JM (2018) Fitness level and not aging per se, determines the oxygen uptake kinetics response. Front Physiol March 29:9: 277. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.00277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grassi B (2006) Oxygen uptake kinetics: why are they so slow? And what do they tell us? J Physiol Pharmacol 57(Suppl 10):53–65

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grassi B, Gladden LB, Samaja M, Stary CM, Hogan MC (1998a) Faster adjustment of O2 delivery does not affect O2 on-kinetics in isolated in situ canine muscle. J Appl Physiol 85:1394–1403

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grassi B, Gladden LB, Stary CM, Wagner PD, Hogan MC (1998b) Peripheral O2 diffusion does not affect O2 on-kinetics in isolated insitu canine muscle. J Appl Physiol 85:1404–1412

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grey TM, Spencer MD, Belfry GR, Kowalchuk JM, Paterson DH, Murias JM (2015) Effects of age and long-term endurance training on O2 kinetics. Med Sci Sports Exerc 47:289–298. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000398

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gurd BJ, Scheid J, Paterson DH, Kowalchuk JM (2007) O2 uptake and muscle deoxygenation kinetics during the transition to moderate-intensity exercise in different phases of the menstrual cycle in young adult females. Eur J Appl Physiol 101:321–330

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hamasaki A, Arima S, Mitsuzono R, Hirakoba K (2015) Effect of low-intensity training on transient kinetics of pulmonary oxygen uptake during moderate-intensity cycle exercise. J Sports Med Phys Fit 55:1072–1081

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Henriksson J, Hickner RC (1998) Adaptations in skeletal muscle in response to endurance training. In: Oxford textbook of sports medicine, 2nd edn. Oxford, New York, pp 45–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughson RL, Tschakovsky ME, Houston ME (2001) Regulation of oxygen consumption at the onset of exercise. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 29:129–133

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kashima S (2003) Spectroscopic measurement of blood volume and its oxygenation in a small volume of tissue using red laser lights and differential calculation between two point detections. Opt Laser Technol 35:485–489. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0030-3992(03)00066-5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Laplaud D, Guinot M, Favre-Juvin A, Flore P (2006) Maximal lactate steady state determination with a single incremental test exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 96:446–452. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-005-0086-4

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mac Ananey O, Malone J, Warmington S, O’Shea D, Green S, Egaña M (2011) Cardiac output is not related to the slowed O2 uptake kinetics in type 2 diabetes. Med Sci Sports Exerc 43:935–942. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3182061cdb

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McLay KM, Murias JM, Paterson DH (2017) Similar pattern of change in V̇o2 kinetics, vascular function, and tissue oxygen provision following an endurance training stimulus in older and young adults. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 312:R467–R476. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00399.2016

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mezzani A, Grassi B, Giordano A, Corrà U, Colombo S, Giannuzzi P (2010) Age-related prolongation of phase I of O2 on-kinetics in healthy humans. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 299:R968–R976. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00739.2009

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murias JM, Paterson DH (2015) Slower O2 kinetics in older individuals: is it inevitable? Med Sci Sports Exerc 47:2308–2318. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000686 (review)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murias JM, Kowalchuk JM, Paterson DH (2010) Speeding of O2 kinetics with endurance training in old and young men is associated with improved matching of local O2 delivery to muscle O2 utilization. J Appl Physiol 108:913–922. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.01355.2009

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Murias JM, Kowalchuk JM, Paterson DH (2011a) Speeding of O2 kinetics in response to endurance-training in older and young women. Eur J Appl Physiol 111:235–243. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-010-1649-6

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murias JM, Spencer MD, Kowalchuk JM, Paterson DH (2011b) Influence of phase I duration on phase II VO2 kinetics parameter estimates in older and young adults. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 301:R218–R224. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00060.2011

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murias JM, Spencer MD, Delorey DS, Gurd BJ, Kowalchuk JM, Paterson DH (2011c) Speeding of O2 kinetics during moderate-intensity exercise subsequent to heavy-intensity exercise is associated with improved local O2 distribution. J Appl Physiol 111:1410–1415. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00607.2011

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murias JM, Spencer MD, Kowalchuk JM, Paterson DH (2011d) Muscle deoxygenation to O2 relationship differs in young subjects with varying τO2. Eur J Appl Physiol 111:3107–3118. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-1937-9

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murias JM, Spencer MD, Paterson DH (2014) The critical role of O2 provision in the dynamic adjustment of oxidative phosphorylation. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 42:4–11. https://doi.org/10.1249/JES.0000000000000005 (review)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murias JM, Edwards JA, Paterson DH (2015) Effects of short-term training and detraining on VO2 kinetics: faster VO2 kinetics response after one training session. Scand J Med Sci Sports 26:620–629. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12487

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Örlander J, Kiessling KH, Karlsson J, Ekblom B (1977) Low intensity training, inactivity and resumed training in sedentary men. Acta Physiol Scand 101:351–362

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Örlander J, Kiessling KH, Ekblom B (1980) Time course of adaptation to low intensity training in sedentary men: dissociation of central and local effects. Acta Physiol Scand 108:85–90

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Parker BA, Smithmyer SL, Pelberg JA, Mishkin AD, Proctor DN (2008) Sex-specific influence of aging on exercising leg blood flow. J Appl Physiol 104:655–664

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips SM, Green HJ, MacDonald MJ, Hughson RL (1995) Progressive effect of endurance training on O2 kinetics at the onset of submaximal exercise. J Appl Physiol 79:1914–1920

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Poole DC, Jones AM (2012) Oxygen uptake kinetics. Compr Physiol 2:933–996. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c100072 (review)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Poole DC, Barstow TJ, McDonough P, Jones AM (2008) Control of oxygen uptake during exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 40:462–474. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e31815ef29b (review)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Proctor DN, Koch DW, Newcomer SC, Le KU, Leuenberger UA (2003a) Impaired leg vasodilation during dynamic exercise in healthy older women. J Appl Physiol 95:1963–1970

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Proctor DN, Newcomer SC, Koch DW, Le KU, MacLean DA, Leuenberger UA (2003b) Leg blood flow during submaximal cycle ergometry is not reduced in healthy older normally active men. J Appl Physiol 94:1859–1869

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shono N, Urata H, Saltin B, Mizuno M, Harada T, Shindo M, Tanaka H (2002) Effects of low intensity aerobic training of skeletal muscle capillary and blood lipoprotein profile. J Atheroscler Thrombs 9:78–85

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spencer MD, Murias JM, Lamb HP, Kowalchuk JM, Paterson DH (2011) Are the parameters of VO2, heart rate and muscle deoxygenation kinetics affected by serial moderate-intensity exercise transitions in a single day? Eur J Appl Physiol 111:591–600. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-010-1653-x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spencer MD, Gravelle BM, Murias JM, Zerbini L, Pogliaghi S, Paterson DH (2013) Duration of “Phase I” VO2p: a comparison of methods used in its estimation and the effects of varying moderate-intensity work rate. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 304:R238–R247. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00419.2012

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stathokostas L, Kowalchuk JH, Paterson DH (2013) Influence of hormone replacement therapy and aerobic exercise training on oxygen uptake kinetics in postmenopausal women. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 38:657–665. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2012-0421 (epub 2013 Jan 24)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tschakovsky ME, Hughson RL (1999) Interaction of factors determining oxygen uptake at the onset of exercise. J Appl Physiol 86:1101–1113 (review)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Whipp BJ, Ward SA, Lamarra N, Davis JA, Wasserman K (1982) Parameters of ventilatory and gas exchange dynamics during exercise. J Appl Physiol Respir Environ Exerc Physiol 52:1506–1513

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (2010) Recommended population levels of physical activity for health. Global recommendations on physical activity for health, pp 15–33. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/44399/1/9789241599979_eng.pdf. Accessed 7 Dec 2016

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the participants for the time and effort they dedicated to this study. We would also like to thank the staff of Katsuura Orthopaedics Clinic and Katsuura Sports Club for their assistance with the experiment.

Funding

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Katsuura Orthopaedics Clinic, 485-252 Tona, Katsuura, Chiba, 299-5225, Japan

    Akiko Hamasaki & Saburo Arima

  2. Graduate School of Life Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Fukuoka, Japan

    Kohji Hirakoba

Authors
  1. Akiko Hamasaki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Saburo Arima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kohji Hirakoba
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

AH and KH conceived and designed the research; AH and SA performed experiments; AH and SA analyzed data; AH and KH interpreted results of experiments; AH prepared figures and tables; AH and SA drafted manuscript; KH edited and revised manuscript; AH, SA and KH approved final version of manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Akiko Hamasaki.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Communicated by Susan Hopkins.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hamasaki, A., Arima, S. & Hirakoba, K. Changes in pulmonary oxygen uptake and muscle deoxygenation kinetics during cycling exercise in older women performing walking training for 12 weeks. Eur J Appl Physiol 118, 2179–2188 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-3946-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-3946-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation