title: Exertional oxygen uptake kinetics: a stamen of stamina?
abstract: The fundamental pulmonary O(2) uptake (.VO(2)) response to moderate, constant-load exercise can be characterized as (d.VO(2)/dt)(tau)+Delta.VO(2) (t)=Delta.VO(2SS) where Delta.VO(2SS) is the steady-state response, and tau is the time constant, with the .VO(2) kinetics reflecting intramuscular O(2) uptake (.QO(2)) kinetics, to within 10%. The role of phosphocreatine (PCr) turnover in .QO(2) control can be explored using (31)P-MR spectroscopy, simultaneously with .VO(2). Although tau.VO(2) and tauPCr vary widely among subjects (approx. 20-65 s), they are not significantly different from each other, either at the on- or off-transient. A caveat to interpreting the "well-fit" exponential is that numerous units of similar Delta.VO(2SS) but with a wide tau distribution can also yield a .VO(2) response with an apparent single tau. This tau is, significantly, inversely correlated with lactate threshold and .VO(2max)(but is poorly predictive; a frail stamen, therefore), consistent with tau not characterizing a compartment with uniform kinetics. At higher intensities, the fundamental kinetics become supplemented with a slowly-developing phase, setting .VO(2)on a trajectory towards maximum .VO(2). This slow component is also demonstrable in Delta[PCr]: the decreased efficiency thereby reflecting a predominantly high phosphate-cost of force production rather than a high O(2)-cost of phosphate production. We also propose that the O(2)-deficit for the slow-component is more likely to reflect shifting Delta.VO(2SS) rather than a single one with a single tau.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Exercise Science and Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Scotland, U.K. brian.whipp@bio.gla.ac.uk
authors.forename: Brian J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Whipp
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Rossiter
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D004734:Energy Metabolism; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008954:Models, Biological; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D010725:Phosphocreatine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010725:Phosphocreatine