LOW EXERCISE VENTILATION IN ENDURANCE ATHLETES

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  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 11  (2) , 181-185
Abstract
The relationship between ventilatory chemoresponsiveness and exercise [.ovrhdot.VE] in 7 non-athletes was examined and contrasted with previous studies of 8 endurance and 8 non-endurance athletes. Correlation lines of exercise .ovrhdot.VE with chemical responses were similar in slope and intercept for both athletes and non-athletes. Non-athletes had greater exercise .ovrhdot.VE per unit metabolic rate (.ovrhdot.VO2 [O2 consumption] or .ovrhdot.VCO2 [CO2 consumption]), and greater ventilatory responses to O2 and CO2, when compared with endurance athletes at equal relative work loads (P < 0.05). The lower exercise .ovrhdot.VE/.ovrhdot.VCO2 of endurance athletes, compared with non-athletes, persisted in hyperoxia, indicating that factors other than differences in hypoxic sensitivity explain the lower exercise .ovrhdot.VE of endurance athletes. Low exercise .ovrhdot.VE may be the link between low ventilatory chemosensitivity and outstanding endurance athletic performance.