Aerobic Metabolism

Exercise Response
• Steady State Exercise: Below VT
• Time to achieve steady state: 1 to 3 minutes
 Exercise Response
• Exercise above VT: same WL, but ↑in O2
consumption (O2 drift)
 Exercise Response
• Incremental ramp test to maximum: VO2max
• Volitional Fatigue
 Max Criteria
• Plateau in VO2
• Supramax workload
• Lactate >= 8mmol
• Age predicted HR max
+/- 12bpm
• Volitional fatigue (RPE)
• RER > 1.1
 O2 Cost of RT
• Contraction above
15-20% MVC can
cause occlusion of
blood vessels:
• compromises O2
delivery
• BF is suddenly fully
restored during
recovery
• ↑ O2: EPOC
• Can be up to 45%
AEROBIC
contribution
 RQ and RER
• A ratio of VCO2 to VO2

• At Rest: RQ
• indicates substrate utilization (major fuel source)
• 1 Carbs; 0.7 fat, 0.81 protein:
• Thus, lower RQ represents reliance on fat as fuel source
• What would an RQ of 0.82 represent?

• During Exercise: RER

• Fuel source cannot be reliably interpreted during
exercise
 RQ and RER
• A ratio of VCO2 to VO2

• At Rest: RQ
• indicates substrate utilization (major fuel source)
• 1 Carbs; 0.7 fat, 0.81 protein
• Thus, lower RQ represents reliance on fat as fuel source
• What would an RQ of 0.82 represent?

• During Exercise: RER

• Fuel source cannot be reliably interpreted during
exercise
 RER
• Inaccuracy of substrate utilization:
• Total body gas exchange (not just working muscle)
• Excess production of CO2
• Acid Base Disturbance (H+ and CO2)

• Exercise RER values: RER > 1.1 indicates anaerobic work,

therefore a VO2 criteria

• Non-protein RER: N2 is not being analyzed, would need

urine and sweat samples
RER-Caloric Equivalents
VO2-RER
 VO2-MET
1 MET = 3.5 ml/kg/min of O2
You Pay for Every PA…
 Even Breathing Costs Us
1200
Volume of Oxygen (mL/min)

1000

800

600

400

200

1-2%
0
Rest Light Moderate Heavy Maximal

Exercise Intensity
 Efficiency
75 Same VO2max
70

65

60
Lower
VO 2(ml/kg/min)

55
VO2max
50

45

40

35
VT
30
Intensity Who would
Athlete 1 Athlete 2 Athlete 3 perform best
in a
marathon?
Efficiency and Economy