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Effect of endurance exercise training on ventilatory function in older individuals
Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985)
|March 1, 1985
Summary
Endurance training improves ventilatory function in older adults, reversing age-related increases in breathing efficiency during submaximal exercise. Sedentary individuals who trained matched master athletes
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Exercise Science
- Gerontology
Background:
- Aging is associated with decreased ventilatory function during exercise.
- Master athletes (MA) maintain better ventilatory function than sedentary controls (CON) at older ages.
- The impact of endurance training on ventilatory function in older sedentary individuals requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effect of endurance training on ventilatory function in older individuals.
- To compare ventilatory function between master athletes and sedentary controls.
- To assess changes in ventilatory parameters following a 12-month endurance training program.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional comparison of 14 master athletes (age 63 +/- 2 yr) and 14 healthy sedentary controls (age 63 +/- 3 yr).
- Longitudinal study of 11 healthy sedentary individuals (age 63 +/- 2 yr) undergoing 12 months of endurance training.
- Measurement of ventilatory function parameters including maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), ventilatory response to submaximal exercise (VE/VO2), maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV), and maximal exercise ventilation (VEmax).
Main Results:
- Master athletes exhibited lower ventilatory response to submaximal exercise (VE/VO2) and higher maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) and maximal exercise ventilation (VEmax) compared to sedentary controls.
- Endurance training significantly improved VE/VO2, VEmax, and the ratio of VEmax to MVV in previously sedentary individuals.
- Hypercapnic ventilatory response (HCVR) and ventilatory equivalent for CO2 (VE/VCO2) remained similar between groups and were unaffected by training.
Conclusions:
- Endurance training can reverse age-related declines in ventilatory efficiency during submaximal exercise in older adults.
- Twelve months of endurance training enables previously sedentary older individuals to achieve ventilatory patterns similar to master athletes during maximal exercise.
- Endurance training enhances ventilatory capacity and efficiency in older individuals, suggesting potential for improved exercise performance and respiratory health.