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Ventilatory responses at rest and during exercise in marathon runners
Summary
Elite marathon runners do not show differences in resting or exercise breathing control compared to non-athletes. Individual variations in ventilatory control exist within trained athletes, suggesting diverse physiological adaptations.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Exercise Science
- Respiratory Control
Background:
- Athletes may exhibit altered ventilatory responsiveness to hypercapnia and hypoxia.
- It is unknown if reduced chemosensitivity impacts exercise hyperpnea and athletic performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate ventilatory control in marathon runners versus controls.
- To determine the role of chemosensitivity in athletic performance.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study comparing 20 marathon runners (RUN) and 20 controls (CON).
- Measured resting ventilatory responses to hypercapnia and hypoxia.
- Assessed ventilatory equivalents for carbon dioxide (VE/VCO2) and oxygen (VE/VO2) during exercise.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in resting ventilatory responses to hypercapnia or hypoxia between RUN and CON.
- No significant differences in exercise VE/VCO2 and VE/VO2 between groups.
- A correlation was found between resting hypercapnic response and exercise VE/VCO2 in RUN, but not with marathon time.
Conclusions:
- Marathon runners and controls exhibit similar resting and exercise ventilatory responses.
- Individual differences in ventilatory control exist among well-trained endurance athletes.