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Running exercise with end-expiratory breath holding up to the breaking point induces large and early fall in muscle oxygenation

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Abstract

Purpose

The goal of this study was to assess the effects of repeated running bouts with end-expiratory breath holding (EEBH) up to the breaking point on muscle oxygenation.

Methods

Eight male runners participated in three randomised sessions each including two exercises on a motorised treadmill. The first exercise consisted in performing 10–12 running bouts with EEBH of maximum duration either (separate sessions) at 60% (active recovery), 80% (passive recovery) or 100% (passive recovery) of the maximal aerobic velocity (MAV). Each repetition started at the onset of EEBH and ended at its release. In the second exercise of the session, subjects replicated the same procedure but with normal breathing (NB). Arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2), heart rate (HR) and the change in vastus lateralis muscle deoxy-haemoglobin/myoglobin (Δ[HHb/Mb]) and total haemoglobin/myoglobin (Δ[THb/Mb]) were continuously monitored throughout exercises.

Results

On average, the EEBHs were maintained for 10.1 ± 1.1 s, 13.2 ± 1.8 s and 12.2 ± 1.7 s during exercise at 60%, 80% and 100% of MAV, respectively. In the three exercise intensities, SpO2 (mean nadir values: 76.3 ± 2.5 vs 94.5 ± 2.5%) and HR were lower with EEBH than with NB at the end of the repetitions; whereas, the mean Δ[HHb/Mb] (12.6 ± 5.2 vs 7.7 ± 4.4 µm) and Δ[THb/Mb] (− 0.6 ± 2.3 vs 3.8 ± 2.6 µm) were, respectively, higher and lower with EEBH (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

This study showed that performing repeated bouts of running exercises with EEBH up to the breaking point induced a large and early drop in muscle oxygenation compared with the same exercise with NB. This phenomenon was probably the consequence of the strong arterial oxygen desaturation induced by the maximal EEBHs.

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Abbreviations

EEBH:

End-expiratory breath holding

[HHb/Mb]:

Muscle concentrations of deoxy-haemoglobin/myoglobin

HR:

Heart rate

MAV:

Maximal aerobic velocity

NB:

Normal breathing

NIRS:

Near-infrared spectroscopy

[O2Hb/Mb]:

Muscle concentrations of oxy-haemoglobin/myoglobin

RPE:

Rating of perceived exertion

SpO2 :

Arterial oxygen saturation

[THb/Mb]:

Total haemoglobin/myoglobin

VHL:

Voluntary hypoventilation at low lung volume

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to gratefully thank all the subjects who volunteered to participate in this study

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Univ. Lille, Univ. Artois, Univ. Littoral Côte d’Opale, EA 7369 - URePSSS - Unité de Recherche Pluridisciplinaire Sport Santé Société, 59000, Lille, France

    Xavier Woorons

  2. ARPEH, Association for Research and Promotion of Hypoventilation Training, 18 rue Saint Gabriel, 59800, Lille, France

    Xavier Woorons

  3. Département de Kinésiologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0S6, Canada

    François Billaut

  4. UFR de Santé, Médecine et Biologie Humaine, Université Paris 13, Bobigny, France

    Christine Lamberto

Authors
  1. Xavier Woorons
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  2. François Billaut
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  3. Christine Lamberto
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Contributions

XW and CL conceived and designed the study. XW performed the experiments. XW and CL analysed data. XW, CL and FB interpreted results of research. XW, CL and FB critically revised paper and approved final version of manuscript.

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Correspondence to Xavier Woorons.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest and have not received any funding for this work.

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Communicated by Susan Hopkins .

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Woorons, X., Billaut, F. & Lamberto, C. Running exercise with end-expiratory breath holding up to the breaking point induces large and early fall in muscle oxygenation. Eur J Appl Physiol 121, 3515–3525 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-021-04813-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-021-04813-2

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