title: Effects of electrical stimulation on VO2 kinetics and delta efficiency in healthy young men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of electrical stimulation (ES) on oxygen uptake (VO(2)) kinetics and delta efficiency (DE) during gradual exercise. The hypothesis was that ES would attenuate the VO(2)-workload relation and improve DE.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen healthy, untrained men (mean (SD) age 22 (5) years) were selected. Ten were electrostimulated on both quadriceps muscles with a frequency of 45-60 Hz, with 12 seconds of stimulation followed by eight seconds recovery for a total of 30 minutes a day, three days a week for six weeks. The remaining five subjects were assigned to a control group. A standardised exercise test on a cycle ergometer (ramp protocol, workload increases of 20 W/min) was performed by each subject before and after the experimental period. The slope of the VO(2)-power output (W) relation (deltaVO(2)/deltaW) and DE were calculated in each subject at moderate to high intensities (above the ventilatory threshold-that is, from 50-60% to 100% VO(2)max).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean (SEM) values for deltaVO(2)/deltaW and DE had significantly decreased and increased respectively after the six week ES programme (p<0.05; 9.8 (0.2) v 8.6 (0.5) ml O(2)/W/min respectively and 27.7 (0.9) v 31.5 (1.4)% respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ES could be used as a supplementary tool to improve two of the main determinants of endurance capacity, namely VO(2) kinetics and work efficiency.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y el Deporte, Universidad Europea de Madrid, E-28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santalla
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Chicharro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D016552:Ergometry; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D016011:Normal Distribution; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*