Effect of body composition on oxygen uptake during treadmill exercise: body builders versus weight-matched men

Oxygen uptake (VO2) during treadmill exercise is directly related to the speed and grade, as well as the participant's body weight. To determine whether body composition also affects VO2 (ml.kg-1.min-1) during exercise, we studied 14 male body builders (M weight = 99 kg, SD = 7; M height = 180 cm, SD = 8; M body fat = 8%, SD = 3; M fat free mass = 91 kg, SD = 7) and 14 weight-matched men (M weight = 99 kg, SD = 9; M height = 179 cm, SD = 5; M body fat = 24%, SD = 5; M fat free mass = 73 kg, SD = 9). Percentage of body fat, t(13) = 8.185, p < .0001, and fat free mass, t(13) = 5.723, p < .0001, were significantly different between groups. VO2 was measured by respiratory gas analysis at rest and during three different submaximal workrates while walking on the treadmill without using the handrails for support. VO2 was significantly greater for the lean, highly muscular men at rest: 5.6 +/- 1 vs. 4.0 +/- 1 ml.kg-1.min-1, F(1, 26) = 21.185, p < .001; Stage 1: 1.7 mph/10%, 18.5 +/- 2 vs. 16.1 +/- 2 ml.kg-1.min-1, F(1, 26) = 6.002, p < .05; Stage 2: 2.5 mph/12%, 26.6 +/- 3 vs. 23.1 +/- 2 ml.kg-1.min-1, F(1, 26) = 7.991, p < .01; and Stage 3:3.4 mph/14%, 39.3 +/- 5 vs. 33.5 +/- 5 ml.kg-1.min-1, F(1, 26) = 7.682, p < .01, body builders versus weight-matched men, respectively. However, net VO2 (i.e., exercise VO2 - rest VO2) was not significantly different between the two groups at any of the matched exercise stages. The findings from this study indicate that VO2 during weight-bearing exercise performed at the same submaximal workrate is higher for male body builders compared to that measured in weight-matched men and that which is predicted by standard equations. These observed differences in exercise VO2 appear to be due to the higher resting VO2 in highly muscular participants.