Abstract
Introduction
We tested the hypothesis that breathing heliox, to attenuate the mechanical constraints accompanying the decline in pulmonary function with aging, improves exercise performance.
Methods
Fourteen endurance-trained older men (67.9 ± 5.9 year, \(\dot{V}\)O2max: 50.8 ± 5.8 ml/kg/min; 151% predicted) completed two cycling 5-km time trials while breathing room air (i.e., 21% O2–79% N2) or heliox (i.e., 21% O2–79% He). Maximal flow–volume curves (MFVC) were determined pre-exercise to characterize expiratory flow limitation (EFL, % tidal volume intersecting the MFVC). Respiratory muscle force development was indirectly determined as the product of the time integral of inspiratory and expiratory mouth pressure (∫Pmouth) and breathing frequency. Maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressure maneuvers were performed pre-exercise and post-exercise to estimate respiratory muscle fatigue.
Results
Exercise performance time improved (527.6 ± 38 vs. 531.3 ± 36.9 s; P = 0.017), and respiratory muscle force development decreased during inspiration (− 22.8 ± 11.6%, P < 0.001) and expiration (− 10.8 ± 11.4%, P = 0.003) with heliox compared with room air. EFL tended to be lower with heliox (22 ± 23 vs. 30 ± 23% tidal volume; P = 0.054). Minute ventilation normalized to CO2 production (\(\dot{V}\)E/\(\dot{V}\)CO2) increased with heliox (28.6 ± 2.7 vs. 25.1 ± 1.8; P < 0.001). A reduction in MIP and MEP was observed post-exercise vs. pre-exercise but was not different between conditions.
Conclusions
Breathing heliox has a limited effect on performance during a 5-km time trial in master athletes despite a reduction in respiratory muscle force development.
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Change history
30 January 2024
A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-023-05383-1
Abbreviations
- EFL:
-
Expiratory flow limitation
- \(\dot{V}\)O2max :
-
Maximal oxygen consumption
- ml:
-
Milliliters
- L:
-
Liters
- kg:
-
Kilogram
- sec:
-
Second
- min:
-
Minute
- h:
-
Hour
- W:
-
Watt
- rpm:
-
Rotation per minute
- PPO:
-
Peak power output
- Pmouth :
-
Mouth pressure
- MIP:
-
Maximal inspiratory pressure
- MEP:
-
Maximal expiratory pressure
- km:
-
Kilometer
- TT:
-
Time trial
- MFVC:
-
Maximal flow–volume curve
- TLC:
-
Total lung capacity
- RV:
-
Residual volume
- FVC:
-
Forced vital capacity
- FEV1 :
-
Forced expiratory volume in 1 s
- FEF:
-
Forced expiratory flow
- IC:
-
Inspiratory capacity
- EELV:
-
End-expiratory lung volume
- EILV:
-
End-inspiratory lung volume
- \(\dot{V}\) E :
-
Minute ventilation
- FB :
-
Breathing frequency
- VT :
-
Tidal volume
- IRV:
-
Inspiratory reserve volume
- ∫Pm:
-
Integrated Pmouth signal over time
- ∫Pm × FB :
-
Respiratory muscle force development
- Hz:
-
Hertz
- CO2 :
-
Carbon dioxide
- PET :
-
End-tidal partial pressure
- SpO2 :
-
Hemoglobin oxygen saturation
- HR:
-
Heart rate
- \(\dot{V}\)CO2 :
-
Carbon dioxide production
- \(\dot{V}\) E/\(\dot{V}\)CO2 :
-
Minute ventilation normalized to CO2 production
- CI:
-
Confidence interval
- SD:
-
Standard deviation
- WOB:
-
Work of breathing
- PAV:
-
Proportional assisted ventilation
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The authors thank NHS Laboratoires Menarini (France) for funding the experiment. The authors declare no conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
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TH, VM, GB, JB, and JD contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by TH, VM, GB, OM, JD, and CA. The first draft of the manuscript was written by TH and GB. VM, OM, CA, JB, and JD commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Haddad, T., Mons, V., Meste, O. et al. Breathing a low-density gas reduces respiratory muscle force development and marginally improves exercise performance in master athletes. Eur J Appl Physiol 124, 651–665 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-023-05346-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-023-05346-6