Plasma osmolality, volume, and renin activity at the "anaerobic threshold"

Plasma renin activity (PRA), volume (PV), osmolality, and hemodynamic parameters were examined in relation to the anaerobic threshold (AT) during progressive cycle ergometry (PE) and repetitive bouts of unilateral isokinetic knee extension-flexion (LE) at 50% maximum voluntary contractions in eight normotensive males. During PE, the observed rise in PRA paralleled that of lactate with abrupt increases occurring at the AT. Correlation of % delta lactate (La), % delta osmolality, and % delta PV with % delta PRA were r = 0.65, 0.36, and -0.51, respectively (all P less than 0.01). In addition, when mean arterial pressure was plotted as a function of VO2, the rate of rise was greater below the AT than above the AT (11.5 vs. -2.4 mmHg X l-1 X min, P less than 0.001). A time control study (TC) exercising subjects for the same duration but at work rates maintained below the AT resulted in significantly lower values for both PRA and La (7.18 vs. 11.27 mg angiotensin I (ANG I) X ml-1 X min and 3.16 vs. 9.93 mM, P less than 0.05 for TC vs. PE) while producing a similar fall in % delta PV and rise in osmolality. During LE, a high correlation was obtained for % delta PRA and % delta La (r = 0.86, P less than 0.01) but not for % delta PRA with % delta PV or % delta osmolality. The data demonstrate that PRA parallels lactate during exercise and that mean arterial pressure rises more slowly beyond the AT despite a more rapid rise in PRA.