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Endurance exercise performance in acute hypoxia is influenced by expiratory flow limitation

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Abstract

Purpose

We sought to determine if expiratory flow limitation influences intensive aerobic exercise performance in mild hypoxia.

Methods

Fourteen trained male cyclists were separated into flow-limited (FL, n = 7) and non-FL (n = 7) groups based on the extent of expiratory flow limitation exhibited during maximal exercise in normoxia. Participants performed two self-paced 5-km cycling time trials, one in normoxic (F IO2 = 0.21) and one in mild hypoxic (F IO2 = 0.17) conditions in a randomized, balanced order with the subjects blinded to composition of the inspirate. Percent change from normoxia to hypoxia in average power output (%ΔP TT) and time to completion (%ΔT TT) were used to assess performance.

Results

Hypoxia resulted in a significant decline in estimated arterial O2 saturation and decrements in performance in both groups, although FL had a significantly smaller %ΔP TT (−4.0 ± 0.5 vs. −9.0 ± 1.8 %) and %ΔT TT (1.3 ± 0.3 vs. 3.7 ± 0.9 %) compared to non-FL. At the 5th km of the time trial, minute ventilation did not change from normoxia to hypoxia in FL (3.4 ± 3.1 %) or non-FL (2.3 ± 3.7 %), but only the non-FL reported a significantly increased dyspnea rating in hypoxia compared to normoxia (~9 %). Non-FL athletes did not utilize their ventilatory reserve to defend arterial oxygen saturation in hypoxia, which may have been due to an increased measure of dyspnea in the hypoxic trial.

Conclusion

FL athletes experience less hypoxia-related aerobic exercise performance impairment as compared to non-FL athletes, despite having less ventilatory reserve.

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Abbreviations

ERV:

Expiratory reserve volume

F B :

Frequency of breathing

F IO2 :

Fraction of inspired O2

F ECO2 :

Fraction of expired CO2

FEV1 :

Forced expired volume in 1 s

FEV1/FVC:

Forced expired volume in 1 s to forced vital capacity ratio

FL:

Flow limited

FVC:

Forced vital capacity

HR:

Heart rate

IC:

Inspiratory capacity

IRV:

Inspiratory reserve volume

MEF25–75 :

Maximal expiratory flow between 25 and 75 % of forced vital capacity

MFVL:

Maximal flow volume loop

PAO2 :

Partial pressure of alveolar oxygen (O2)

PEFR:

Peak expired flow rate

P TT :

Power output during the 5-km time trial

RPM:

Revolutions per minute

RER:

Respiratory exchange ratio

SaO2/SpO2 :

Arterial oxygen saturation/estimated arterial oxygen saturation

TT:

Time trial

T TT :

Time to completion for the 5-km time trial

V E :

Minute ventilation

V E/VO2 :

Ventilatory equivalents for oxygen (O2)

V E/VCO2 :

Ventilatory equivalents for carbon dioxide (CO2)

VO2max :

Maximal oxygen consumption

V T :

Tidal volume

W:

Watts

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the individuals who volunteered to participate in this study and the colleagues who helped with data collection and manuscript preparation.

Conflict of interest

No author claims any conflict of interest from this study or has any relationships with companies or manufacturers. No company will benefit directly from the results of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Performance Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA

    Joshua C. Weavil, Joseph W. Duke, Jonathon L. Stickford, Joel M. Stager, Robert F. Chapman & Timothy D. Mickleborough

  2. Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Joshua C. Weavil

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  1. Joshua C. Weavil
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  2. Joseph W. Duke
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  3. Jonathon L. Stickford
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  4. Joel M. Stager
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  5. Robert F. Chapman
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  6. Timothy D. Mickleborough
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Correspondence to Joshua C. Weavil.

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Communicated by Carsten Lundby.

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Weavil, J.C., Duke, J.W., Stickford, J.L. et al. Endurance exercise performance in acute hypoxia is influenced by expiratory flow limitation. Eur J Appl Physiol 115, 1653–1663 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3145-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3145-5

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