Blood lactate disappearance during breathing hyperoxic gas after exercise in two different physical fitness...

This study aimed to investigate the effects of hyperoxic gas breathing on the disappearance of blood lactate after exercise in two groups having different physical fitness and to determine the most effective O2 concentration in consideration of workload. Our previous study has demonstrated that hyperoxic gas breathing brought out different effects among subjects. In respect of these effects, it was thought necessary to pay attention to exercise intensity. Therefore, the exercise intensity of this study was set by using relative workload of anaerobic threshold (AT) from the aspect of blood lactate. Ten healthy male students participated as subjects and were divided into 2 groups; a group consisting of 5 active students whose mean AT was 60.4% VO2max (Higher AT group) and the other group consisting of 5 inactive students having the mean AT of 48.8% VO2max (Lower AT group). All subjects underwent three cycles of ergometer exercise on a bicycle (workload; 130% AT) for 5 min and recovery session for 6 min. The hyperoxic gas breathing was given only for the recovery session. The conditions of breathing were air, 30, 40, 60 or 80% O2. Blood for determination of the blood lactate level was taken only in the recovery session. When compared with air-breathing, the blood lactate level was significantly reduced in the condition of more than about 60% O2 breathing in Higher AT group, but not in Lower AT one. Together with the previous findings, it was found that the blood lactate level was markedly reduced by more than 60% O2 breathing in Higher AT group without relation to the workload in the range of about 70 to 80% VO2max. In Lower AT group, however, the effects of hyperoxic gas breathing were dependent on the exercise intensity; 30% and 40% O2 breathings were effective for the subjects with more than about 65% VO2max, but not in a lower intensity than it. These results indicate that the effects of hyperoxic gas breathing on the disappearance of blood lactate are dependent on the exercise intensity and the physical capacity.