Abstract
An increase in oxygen consumption was observed in healthy male subjects breathing argon-containing gas mixtures during physical exercise. According to a detailed analysis of the methodology and calculations, this effect exceeded the possible errors in the measurements. It was proposed that argon has a catalytic effect on the kinetics of oxygen consumption as an attempt to explain two of its known effects, i.e., an increase in oxygen consumption in human subjects breathing moderately hypoxic gas mixtures and an increase in the survival rates observed previously for rats in acute hypoxia.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Sledkov, A.Yu., Nervnyi sindrom vysokikh davlenii (High Pressure Neurological Syndrome), St. Petersburg: Lana Medika, 1997.
Pavlov, B.N., Grigoriev, A.I., Smolin, V.V., et al., Investigation of Different Hyperoxic, Hypoxic, and Normoxic Oxygen-Argon Gaseous Mixtures under Different Barometric Pressure and Respiration Periods, in High Pressure Biology and Medicine, Papers Presented at the V International Meeting on High Pressure Biology, St. Petersburg, Russia, July 7–9, 1997, Bennett, P.B., Demchenko, I., and Marquis, R.E., Eds., St. Petersburg, 1997, p. 133.
Dmitriev, M.T. and Pshezhetskii, S.Ya., Radiation Oxidation of Nitrogen: Kinetics of Nitrogen Oxidation Influenced by Radiation and a Role of the Processes of Recombination of Ions, Zh. Fiz. Khim., 1960, vol. 34, p. 880.
Finkel'shtein, D.N., Inertnye gazy (Inert Gases), Moscow: Nauka, 1979, p. 200.
Cook, S.F., The Effect of Helium and Argon on Metabolism and Metamorphosis, J. Cell. Comp. Physiol., 1950, vol. 36, p. 115.
Soldatov, P.E., D'yachenko, A.I., Pavlov B.N., et al., Survival Rates of Laboratory Animals in Argon-Containing Hypoxic Gas Mixtures, Aviakosm. Ekol. Med., 1998, vol. 32, no. 4, p. 33.
Aulik, I.V., Opredelenie fizicheskoi rabotosposobnosti v klinike i sporte (Determinations of the Physical Work Capacity in Clinic and Sport), Moscow: Meditsina, 1998, p. 118.
Margaria, R., Milic-Emili, G., Petit, J.M., and Cavagna, J.G., Mechanical Work of Breathing during Muscular Exercise, J. Appl. Physiol., 1960, vol. 15, p. 354.
D'yachenko, A.I. and Shabel'nikov, V.G., Matematicheskie modeli deistviya gravitatsii na funktsii legkikh (Mathematical Models for the Effects of Gravitation upon the Lung Functions), Moscow: Nauka, 1985.
Vdovin, A.V., Nozdracheva, L.V., and Pavlov, B.N., Parameters of Energy Metabolism in the Rat Brain on Breathing Hypoxic Mixtures Containing Nitrogen or Argon, Byull. Eksp. Biol. Med., 1998, vol. 125, no. 6, p. 618.
Vol'kenshtein, M.B., Molekuly i zhizn' (Molecules and Life), Moscow: Nauka, 1965.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shulagin, Y.A., D'yachenko, A.I. & Pavlov, B.N. Effects of Argon on Oxygen Consumption in Humans during Physical Exercise under Hypoxic Conditions. Human Physiology 27, 84–90 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007115609715
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007115609715