The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of bed-rest-induced deconditioning on changes in O2 uptake (VO2) kinetics, O2 deficit, steady-state VO2, and recovery VO2 during the performance of constant-load exercise. Five male subjects (36–40 yr) underwent 7 days of continuous bed rest (BR) in the head-down (-6 degrees) position. Two days before (pre) and the day after (post) BR each subject performed one submaximal exercise test in the supine and one in the upright position consisting of 5 min of rest, 5 min of cycle ergometer exercise at 700 kg.m/min, and 10 min of recovery from exercise. VO2 was measured continuously in all tests from 2-liter aliquot gas samples collected every 30 s. Following BR steady-state VO2 was unchanged in supine and upright exercise. In the supine position BR did not change total exercise VO2, O2 deficit, or total recovery VO2. However, compared with pre-BR, total exercise VO2 decreased (P less than 0.05) from 7.41 +/- 0.11 to 7.23 +/- 0.17 liters, O2 deficit increased (P less than 0.05) from 1.15 +/- 0.05 to 1.41 +/- 0.07 liters, and total recovery VO2 increased (P less than 0.05) from 5.17 +/- 0.11 to 5.47 +/- 0.17 liters during the post-BR upright test. Despite the ability to attain similar steady-state VO2 within 5 min, bed-rest-induced deconditioning resulted in a reduction of total VO2 capacity and an increase in the O2 deficit during submaximal constant-load exercise. This change in VO2 kinetics is found only with exercise in the upright rather than supine position implicating orthostatic mechanisms in the delayed response to submaximal exercise.
Prior Heavy Exercise Improves VO2 Kinetics and Muscle Oxygenation During Moderate Exercise in Young Adults
