title: Age-related declines in maximal aerobic capacity in regularly exercising vs. sedentary women: a meta-analysis.
abstract: Our purpose was to determine the relationship between habitual aerobic exercise status and the rate of decline in maximal aerobic capacity across the adult age range in women. A meta-analytic approach was used in which mean maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) values from female subject groups (ages 18-89 yr) were obtained from the published literature. A total of 239 subject groups from 109 studies involving 4,884 subjects met the inclusion criteria and were arbitrarily separated into sedentary (groups = 107; subjects = 2,256), active (groups = 69; subjects = 1, 717), and endurance-trained (groups = 63; subjects = 911) populations. VO2 max averaged 29.7 +/- 7.8, 38.7 +/- 9.2, and 52.0 +/- 10.5 ml . kg-1 . min-1, respectively, and was inversely related to age within each population (r = -0.82 to -0.87, all P < 0.0001). The rate of decline in VO2 max with increasing subject group age was lowest in sedentary women (-3.5 ml . kg-1 . min-1 . decade-1), greater in active women (-4.4 ml . kg-1 . min-1 . decade-1), and greatest in endurance-trained women (-6.2 ml . kg-1 . min-1 . decade-1) (all P < 0.001 vs. each other). When expressed as percent decrease from mean levels at age approximately 25 yr, the rates of decline in VO2 max were similar in the three populations (-10.0 to -10.9%/decade). There was no obvious relationship between aerobic exercise status and the rate of decline in maximal heart rate with age. The results of this cross-sectional study support the hypothesis that, in contrast to the prevailing view, the rate of decline in maximal aerobic capacity with age is greater, not smaller, in endurance-trained vs. sedentary women. The greater rate of decline in VO2 max in endurance-trained populations may be related to their higher values as young adults (baseline effect) and/or to greater age-related reductions in exercise volume; however, it does not appear to be related to a greater rate of decline in maximal heart rate with age.
authors.affiliation: Human Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Center for Physical Activity, Disease Prevention, and Aging, Department of Kinesiology, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309, Colorado 80262, USA.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Z V
authors.initials: ZV
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Seals
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012044:Regression Analysis