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Longitudinal changes in haemoglobin mass and VO2max in adolescents

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Abstract

This study assessed the relationship between haemoglobin mass (Hbmass) and maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) in adolescents over 1 year. Twenty-three subjects (11–15 years) participated; 12 undertook ~12 months of cycle training (cyclists) and 11 were sedentary (controls). Hbmass and VO2max were measured approximately every 3 months. At baseline there was a high correlation (r = 0.82, P < 0.0001) between relative VO2max (ml kg−1 min−1) and relative Hbmass (g kg−1). During 12 months there was a significant increase in relative VO2max of the cyclists but not the controls; however, there was no corresponding increase in relative Hbmass of either group. The correlation between percent changes in relative VO2max and relative Hbmass was not significant for cyclists (r = 0.31, P = 0.33) or controls (r = 0.42, P = 0.19). Training does not increase relative Hbmass in adolescents consistent with a strong hereditary role for Hbmass and VO2max. Hbmass may be used to identify adolescents who have a high VO2max.

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Acknowledgments

Sincere thanks to Grant Tomkinson for the provision of VO2max percentiles for adolescents. We would also like to thank Julie Hill and Nick Herlihy for their assistance with data collection. This study was jointly funded by the South Australian Sports Institute and the National Elite Sports Council Australia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sport Science Unit, South Australian Sports Institute, Brooklyn Park, P.O. Box 219, Adelaide, SA, 5032, Australia

    Annette Eastwood & Pitre C. Bourdon

  2. Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia

    Annette Eastwood, Robert T. Withers & Christopher J. Gore

  3. Department of Physiology, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, Australia

    Christopher J. Gore

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  1. Annette Eastwood
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  2. Pitre C. Bourdon
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  3. Robert T. Withers
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  4. Christopher J. Gore
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Correspondence to Annette Eastwood.

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Eastwood, A., Bourdon, P.C., Withers, R.T. et al. Longitudinal changes in haemoglobin mass and VO2max in adolescents. Eur J Appl Physiol 105, 715–721 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-008-0953-x

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