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Pulmonary O2 uptake and muscle deoxygenation kinetics are slowed in the upper compared with lower region of the moderate-intensity exercise domain in older men

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Abstract

This study sought to determine the effect of the pre-transition work rate (WR) and WR transition magnitude on the adjustment of pulmonary oxygen uptake (VO2p kinetics) in older men. Seven men (69 ± 5 years; mean ± SD) each performed 4–6 cycling transitions from 20 W to either a WR corresponding to 90% estimated lactate threshold (full step, FS) or 2 equal-step transitions (lower step, LS; upper step, US) to the same end-exercise WR as in FS. Gas exchange was analysed breath-by-breath and muscle deoxygenation (∆[HHb]) was measured with NIRS. The time constant (τ) for VO2p was greater in US (53 ± 17 s) and FS (44 ± 11 s) compared to LS (37 ± 9 s); τVO2p for US also trended (p = 0.05) towards being greater than FS. The VO2p gain in US (9.97 ± 0.41 mL/min/W) was greater than LS (9.06 ± 1.17; p = 0.06) and FS (9.13 ± 0.54; p < 0.05). The O2 deficit was greater in US (0.25 ± 0.08 L) than LS (0.19 ± 0.06 L); yet the ‘accumulated O2 deficit’ (0.44 ± 0.13 L; O2 deficit from LS + US) was similar to that of FS (0.42 ± 0.13 L; p = 0.38). The effective Δ[HHb] response time (τ′∆[HHb]) for US (36 ± 12 s) was greater than LS (27 ± 6 s; p = 0.07) and FS (26 ± 4 s; p < 0.05), suggesting that the slowed adjustment of muscle O2 extraction was associated with the slowed VO2 kinetics of the US. Despite already slowed VO2p kinetics, older men exhibit further slowing when small WR transitions are initiated from an elevated pre-transition WR, yet this results in no cumulative impact on O2 deficit. This slowing in US compared to LS does not appear to be related to local O2 availability.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to express our gratitude to the participants in this study and to acknowledge the assistance provided by Brad Hansen. This study was supported by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) research and equipment grants. Additional support was provided by Standard Life Assurance Company of Canada. J.M. Murias was supported by a doctoral research scholarship from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    Matthew D. Spencer, Juan M. Murias, John M. Kowalchuk & Donald H. Paterson

  2. School of Kinesiology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada

    Matthew D. Spencer, Juan M. Murias, John M. Kowalchuk & Donald H. Paterson

  3. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    John M. Kowalchuk

Authors
  1. Matthew D. Spencer
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  2. Juan M. Murias
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  3. John M. Kowalchuk
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  4. Donald H. Paterson
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Correspondence to Donald H. Paterson.

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Communicated by Susan A. Ward.

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Spencer, M.D., Murias, J.M., Kowalchuk, J.M. et al. Pulmonary O2 uptake and muscle deoxygenation kinetics are slowed in the upper compared with lower region of the moderate-intensity exercise domain in older men. Eur J Appl Physiol 111, 2139–2148 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-1851-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-1851-1

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