Breathing a low-density gas reduces respiratory muscle force development and marginally improves exercise performance...

We tested the hypothesis that breathing heliox, to attenuate the mechanical constraints accompanying the decline in pulmonary function with aging, improves exercise performance.

Fourteen endurance-trained older men (67.9 ± 5.9 year, [Formula: see text]O_2max: 50.8 ± 5.8 ml/kg/min; 151% predicted) completed two cycling 5-km time trials while breathing room air (i.e., 21% O₂-79% N₂) or heliox (i.e., 21% O₂-79% He). Maximal flow-volume curves (MFVC) were determined pre-exercise to characterize expiratory flow limitation (EFL, % tidal volume intersecting the MFVC). Respiratory muscle force development was indirectly determined as the product of the time integral of inspiratory and expiratory mouth pressure (∫P_mouth) and breathing frequency. Maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressure maneuvers were performed pre-exercise and post-exercise to estimate respiratory muscle fatigue.

Exercise performance time improved (527.6 ± 38 vs. 531.3 ± 36.9 s; P = 0.017), and respiratory muscle force development decreased during inspiration (- 22.8 ± 11.6%, P < 0.001) and expiration (- 10.8 ± 11.4%, P = 0.003) with heliox compared with room air. EFL tended to be lower with heliox (22 ± 23 vs. 30 ± 23% tidal volume; P = 0.054). Minute ventilation normalized to CO₂ production ([Formula: see text]_E/[Formula: see text]CO₂) increased with heliox (28.6 ± 2.7 vs. 25.1 ± 1.8; P < 0.001). A reduction in MIP and MEP was observed post-exercise vs. pre-exercise but was not different between conditions.

Breathing heliox has a limited effect on performance during a 5-km time trial in master athletes despite a reduction in respiratory muscle force development.