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Rapidity of responding to a hypoxic challenge during exercise

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Abstract

The ability to modify power output (PO) in response to a changing stimulus during exercise is crucial for optimizing performance involving an integration system involving a performance template and feedback from peripheral receptors. The rapidity with which PO is modified has not been established, but would be of interest relative to understanding how PO is regulated. The objective is to determine the rapidity of changes in PO in response to a hypoxic challenge, and if change in PO is linked to changes in arterial O2 saturation (S aO2). Well-trained cyclists performed randomly ordered 5-km time trials. Subjects began the trials breathing room air and switched to hypoxic (HYPOXIC, FIO2 = 0.15) or room (CONTROL, FIO2 = 0.21) air at 2 km, then to room air at 4 km. The time delay to begin decreasing S aO2 and PO and to recover S aO2 and PO on to room air was compared, along with the half time (t 1/2) during the HYPOXIC trial. Mean S aO2 and PO between 2 and 4 km were significantly different between CONTROL and HYPOXIC (94 ± 2 vs. 83 ± 2% and 285 ± 16 vs. 245 ± 19 W, respectively). There was no difference between the time delay for S aO2 (31.5 ± 12.8 s) and in PO (25.8 ± 14.4 s) or the recovery of S aO2 (29.0 ± 7.7 s) and PO (21.5 ± 12.4 s). The half time for decreases in S aO2 (56.6 ± 14.4 s) and in PO (62.7 ± 20.8 s) was not significantly different. Modifications of PO due to the abrupt administration of hypoxic air are related to the development of arterial hypoxemia, and begin within ~30 s.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by a grant from the Office of University Graduate Studies at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Conflict of interest statement

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

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 133 Mitchell Hall, La Crosse, WI, 54601, USA

    Blair D. Johnson, Trent Joseph, Glenn Wright, Rebecca A. Battista, Christopher Dodge, Alecia Balweg, Jos J. de Koning & Carl Foster

  2. Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, Research Institute MOVE, VU University-Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jos J. de Koning

Authors
  1. Blair D. Johnson
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  2. Trent Joseph
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  3. Glenn Wright
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  4. Rebecca A. Battista
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  5. Christopher Dodge
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  6. Alecia Balweg
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  7. Jos J. de Koning
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  8. Carl Foster
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Correspondence to Carl Foster.

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Johnson, B.D., Joseph, T., Wright, G. et al. Rapidity of responding to a hypoxic challenge during exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 106, 493–499 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1036-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1036-3

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