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Why doesn't exercise grow the lungs when other factors do?
1Division of Physiology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, DEPT 0623A, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA. pdwagner@ucsd.edu
Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews
|January 11, 2005
Summary
Exercise improves oxygen transport but not lung capacity, potentially limiting maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). Lung growth requires early-life hypoxia or resection, involving specific genetic pathways.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Exercise Science
- Pulmonary Medicine
Background:
- Exercise training optimizes oxygen (O2) transport and metabolism.
- However, the lungs do not enhance their capacity with training, potentially limiting maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max).
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore factors that stimulate lung growth.
- To identify pathways involved in lung development and adaptation.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on lung growth.
- Analysis of factors influencing pulmonary adaptation to stimuli like hypoxia and mechanical strain.
Main Results:
- Exercise training does not increase lung capacity.
- Significant lung growth is reproducibly observed only after early-life hypoxia or substantial lung resection across species.
- Potential pathways involve genes activated by hypoxia or mechanical strain, including growth factors, hormones, nitric oxide, and retinoids.
Conclusions:
- The lungs can be a limiting factor for VO2max.
- Lung growth requires specific stimuli such as hypoxia or mechanical stress, not typically encountered during standard exercise training.