Changes in maximal aerobic capacity with age in endurance-trained women: 7-yr follow-up

2002 ◽  
Vol 92 (6) ◽  
pp. 2303-2308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iratxe Eskurza ◽  
Anthony J. Donato ◽  
Kerrie L. Moreau ◽  
Douglas R. Seals ◽  
Hirofumi Tanaka

On the basis of cross-sectional data, we previously reported that the absolute, but not the relative (%), rate of decline in maximal oxygen consumption (V˙o 2 max) with age is greater in endurance-trained compared with healthy sedentary women. We tested this hypothesis by using a longitudinal approach. Eight sedentary (63 ± 2 yr at follow-up) and 16 endurance-trained (57 ± 2) women were reevaluated after a mean follow-up period of 7 yr. At baseline,V˙o 2 max was ∼70% higher in endurance-trained women (48.1 ± 1.7 vs. 28.1 ± 0.8 ml · kg−1 · min−1 · yr−1). At follow-up, body mass, fat-free mass, maximal respiratory exchange ratio, and maximal rating of perceived exertion were not different from baseline in either group. The absolute rate of decline inV˙o 2 max was twice as great ( P < 0.01) in the endurance-trained (−0.84 ± 0.15 ml · kg−1 · min−1 · yr−1) vs. sedentary (−0.40 ± 0.12 ml · kg−1 · min−1 · yr−1) group, but the relative rates of decline were not different (−1.8 ± 0.3 vs. −1.5 ± 0.4% per year). Differences in rates of decline in V˙o 2 max were not related to changes in body mass or maximal heart rate. However, among endurance-trained women, the relative rate of decline inV˙o 2 max was positively related to reductions in training volume ( r = 0.63). Consistent with this, the age-related reduction inV˙o 2 max in a subgroup of endurance-trained women who maintained or increased training volume was not different from that of sedentary women. These longitudinal data indicate that the greater decrease in maximal aerobic capacity with advancing age observed in middle-aged and older endurance-trained women in general compared with their sedentary peers is due to declines in habitual exercise in some endurance-trained women. Endurance-trained women who maintain or increase training volume demonstrated age-associated declines in maximal aerobic capacity not different from healthy sedentary women.

1997 ◽  
Vol 83 (6) ◽  
pp. 1947-1953 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hirofumi Tanaka ◽  
Christopher A. Desouza ◽  
Pamela P. Jones ◽  
Edith T. Stevenson ◽  
Kevin P. Davy ◽  
...  

Tanaka, Hirofumi, Christopher A. DeSouza, Pamela P. Jones, Edith T. Stevenson, Kevin P. Davy, and Douglas R. Seals. Greater rate of decline in maximal aerobic capacity with age in physically active vs. sedentary healthy women. J. Appl. Physiol. 83(6): 1947–1953, 1997.—Using a meta-analytic approach, we recently reported that the rate of decline in maximal oxygen uptake (V˙o 2 max) with age in healthy women is greatest in the most physically active and smallest in the least active when expressed in milliliters per kilogram per minute per decade. We tested this hypothesis prospectively under well-controlled laboratory conditions by studying 156 healthy, nonobese women (age 20–75 yr): 84 endurance-trained runners (ET) and 72 sedentary subjects (S). ET were matched across the age range for age-adjusted 10-km running performance. Body mass was positively related with age in S but not in ET. Fat-free mass was not different with age in ET or S. Maximal respiratory exchange ratio and rating of perceived exertion were similar across age in ET and S, suggesting equivalent voluntary maximal efforts. There was a significant but modest decline in running mileage, frequency, and speed with advancing age in ET.V˙o 2 max(ml ⋅ kg−1 ⋅ min−1) was inversely related to age ( P < 0.001) in ET ( r = −0.82) and S ( r = −0.71) and was higher at any age in ET. Consistent with our meta-analysic findings, the absolute rate of decline inV˙o 2 max was greater in ET (−5.7 ml ⋅ kg−1 ⋅ min−1 ⋅ decade−1) compared with S (−3.2 ml ⋅ kg−1 ⋅ min−1 ⋅ decade−1; P < 0.01), but the relative (%) rate of decline was similar (−9.7 vs −9.1%/decade; not significant). The greater absolute rate of decline inV˙o 2 max in ET compared with S was not associated with a greater rate of decline in maximal heart rate (−5.6 vs. −6.2 beats ⋅ min−1 ⋅ decade−1), nor was it related to training factors. The present cross-sectional findings provide additional evidence that the absolute, but not the relative, rate of decline in maximal aerobic capacity with age may be greater in highly physically active women compared with their sedentary healthy peers. This difference does not appear to be related to age-associated changes in maximal heart rate, body composition, or training factors.


1997 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 160-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret D. Fitzgerald ◽  
Hirofumi Tanaka ◽  
Zung V. Tran ◽  
Douglas R. Seals

Fitzgerald, Margaret D., Hirofumi Tanaka, Zung V. Tran, and Douglas R. Seals. Age-related declines in maximal aerobic capacity in regularly exercising vs. sedentary women: a meta-analysis. J. Appl. Physiol. 83(1): 160–165, 1997.—Our purpose was to determine the relationship between habitual aerobic exercise status and the rate of decline in maximal aerobic capacity across the adult age range in women. A meta-analytic approach was used in which mean maximal oxygen consumption (V˙o 2 max) values from female subject groups (ages 18–89 yr) were obtained from the published literature. A total of 239 subject groups from 109 studies involving 4,884 subjects met the inclusion criteria and were arbitrarily separated into sedentary (groups = 107; subjects = 2,256), active (groups = 69; subjects = 1,717), and endurance-trained (groups = 63; subjects = 911) populations.V˙o 2 max averaged 29.7 ± 7.8, 38.7 ± 9.2, and 52.0 ± 10.5 ml ⋅ kg−1 ⋅ min−1, respectively, and was inversely related to age within each population ( r = −0.82 to −0.87, all P < 0.0001). The rate of decline inV˙o 2 max with increasing subject group age was lowest in sedentary women (−3.5 ml ⋅ kg−1 ⋅ min−1⋅ decade−1), greater in active women (−4.4 ml ⋅ kg−1 ⋅ min−1⋅ decade−1), and greatest in endurance-trained women (−6.2 ml ⋅ kg−1 ⋅ min−1 ⋅ decade−1) (all P < 0.001 vs. each other). When expressed as percent decrease from mean levels at age ∼25 yr, the rates of decline inV˙o 2 max were similar in the three populations (−10.0 to −10.9%/decade). There was no obvious relationship between aerobic exercise status and the rate of decline in maximal heart rate with age. The results of this cross-sectional study support the hypothesis that, in contrast to the prevailing view, the rate of decline in maximal aerobic capacity with age is greater, not smaller, in endurance-trained vs. sedentary women. The greater rate of decline inV˙o 2 max in endurance-trained populations may be related to their higher values as young adults (baseline effect) and/or to greater age-related reductions in exercise volume; however, it does not appear to be related to a greater rate of decline in maximal heart rate with age.


2001 ◽  
Vol 91 (3) ◽  
pp. 1048-1054 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian C. Schiller ◽  
Yoli G. Casas ◽  
Christopher A. Desouza ◽  
Douglas R. Seals

We tested the hypothesis that the age-related decline in maximal aerobic capacity, as measured by maximal oxygen uptake (V˙o 2 max), is greater in Hispanic than in Caucasian women. We studied 146 healthy sedentary women aged 20–75 yr: 53 Hispanic (primarily of Mexican descent) and 93 Caucasian (non-Hispanic white). The groups did not differ in mean age, body mass, percent body fat, estimated physical activity-related energy expenditure, or education-based socioeconomic status (SES). During maximal exercise, respiratory exchange ratio, rating of perceived exertion, and percent predicted maximal heart rate were similar across age and ethnicity, suggesting equivalent maximum voluntary efforts in all subjects. V˙o 2 max(ml · kg−1 · min−1) was inversely related to age ( P < 0.01) in Caucasian ( r =−0.68) and Hispanic ( r = −0.61) women. The absolute rate of decline in V˙o 2 maxwith age was the same in the two groups (−0.31 ml · kg−1 · min−1 · yr−1). The relative rate of decline (% from age 25 yr) also was similar in the Caucasian (−9.0%) and Hispanic (−9.2%) women. When subjects of all ages were pooled, mean levels ofV˙o 2 max were similar in the two groups (∼28 ml · kg−1 · min−1). These results, the first to our knowledge in Hispanics, indicate that mean levels of V˙o 2 max, as well as the rate of decline in V˙o 2 max with age, are similar in healthy sedentary Hispanic and Caucasian women of similar SES. Thus it does not appear that Hispanic ethnicity per se modulates maximal aerobic capacity in this population.


2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1230-1235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Pereira Borges ◽  
Mauro Felippe Felix Mediano ◽  
Paulo Farinatti ◽  
Marina Pereira Coelho ◽  
Pablo Marino Correa Nascimento ◽  
...  

Background:It remains unclear whether self-regulated exercise is sufficient to maintain the benefits acquired during formal cardiac rehabilitation (CR). This retrospective observational study investigated the effects of a home-based exercise intervention after discharge from CR upon anthropometric and aerobic capacity markers in clinically stable patients.Methods:Fifty patients with cardiovascular disease were discharged after 6 months of CR and encouraged to maintain aerobic exercise without supervision. Subsequent to 6 months of follow-up, patients were assigned to compliant (n = 34) or noncompliant (n = 16) groups according to their compliance to the home-based program. Maximal aerobic capacity (VO2peak) and anthropometric data were assessed before CR, at discharge, and after 6 months of follow-up.Results:No statistical differences between compliant and noncompliant groups were observed at baseline and at discharge from CR. At the end of the follow-up, statistical differences across groups were not found for body mass or body mass index, but increases in VO2peak (+3.6 vs. –0.6 ml/kg·min, P = 0.004) and oxygen pulse (+1.5 vs. +0.2 ml/bpm, P = .03) were greater in compliant than noncompliant group.Conclusions:Self-regulated exercising following CR discharge seems to be effective to maintain gains in exercise capacity acquired during supervised center-based programs.


2003 ◽  
Vol 94 (6) ◽  
pp. 2406-2413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annemarie E. Pimentel ◽  
Christopher L. Gentile ◽  
Hirofumi Tanaka ◽  
Douglas R. Seals ◽  
Phillip E. Gates

To determine the relation between habitual endurance exercise status and the age-associated decline in maximal aerobic capacity [i.e., maximal O2consumption (V˙o2 max)] in men, we performed a well-controlled cross-sectional laboratory study on 153 healthy men aged 20–75 yr: 64 sedentary and 89 endurance trained.V˙o2 max(ml · kg−1· min−1), measured by maximal treadmill exercise, was inversely related to age in the endurance-trained ( r = −0.80) and sedentary ( r = −0.74) men but was higher in the endurance-trained men at any age. The rate of decline inV˙o2 maxwith age (ml · kg−1· min−1) was greater ( P < 0.001) in the endurance-trained than in the sedentary men. Whereas the relative rate of decline inV˙o2 max(percent decrease per decade from baseline levels in young adulthood) was similar in the two groups, the absolute rate of decline inV˙o2 maxwas −5.4 and −3.9 ml · kg−1· min−· decade−1in the endurance-trained and sedentary men, respectively.V˙o2 maxdeclined linearly across the age range in the sedentary men but was maintained in the endurance-trained men until ∼50 yr of age. The accelerated decline inV˙o2 maxafter 50 yr of age in the endurance-trained men was related to a decline in training volume ( r = 0.46, P < 0.0001) and was associated with an increase in 10-km running time ( r = −0.84, P < 0.0001). We conclude that the rate of decline in maximal aerobic capacity during middle and older age is greater in endurance-trained men than in their sedentary peers and is associated with a marked decline in O2pulse.


2000 ◽  
Vol 278 (3) ◽  
pp. H829-H834 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa M. Wilson ◽  
Hirofumi Tanaka

Based on cross-sectional data, we recently reported that, in contrast to the prevailing view, the rate of decline in maximal oxygen consumption (V˙o 2 max) with age is greater in physically active compared with sedentary healthy women. We tested this hypothesis in men using a meta-analytic study ofV˙o 2 max values in the published literature. A total of 242 studies (538 subject groups and 13,828 subjects) met the inclusion criteria and were arbitrarily separated into sedentary (214 groups, 6,231 subjects), active (159 groups, 5,621 subjects), and endurance-trained (165 groups, 1,976 subjects) populations. Body fat percent increased with age in sedentary and active men ( P < 0.001), whereas no change was observed in endurance-trained men.V˙o 2 max was inversely and strongly related to age within each population ( r = −0.80 to −0.88, all P < 0.001) and was highest in endurance-trained and lowest in sedentary populations at any age. Absolute rates of decline inV˙o 2 max with age were not different ( P > 0.05) in sedentary (−4.0 ml ⋅ kg−1 ⋅ min−1 ⋅ decade−1), active (−4.0), and endurance-trained (−4.6) populations. Similarly, there were no group differences ( P > 0.05) in the relative (%) rates of decline inV˙o 2 max with advancing age (−8.7, −7.3, and −6.8%/decade, respectively). Maximal heart rate was inversely related to age within each population ( r = −0.88 to −0.93, all P < 0.001), but the rate of age-related reduction was not different among the populations. There was a significant decline in running mileage and speed with advancing age in the endurance-trained men. The present cross-sectional meta-analytic findings do not support the hypothesis that the rate of decline inV˙o 2 max with age is related to habitual aerobic exercise status in men.


1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (5) ◽  
pp. 2195-2199 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Rogers ◽  
J. M. Hagberg ◽  
W. H. Martin ◽  
A. A. Ehsani ◽  
J. O. Holloszy

Fifteen well-trained master endurance athletes [62.0 +/- 2.3 (SE) yr] and 14 sedentary control subjects (61.4 +/- 1.4 yr) were reevaluated after an average follow-up period of approximately 8 yr to obtain information regarding the effects of physical activity on the age-related decline in maximal O2 uptake capacity (VO2max). The master athletes had been training for 10.2 +/- 2.9 yr before initial testing and continued to train during the follow-up period. The sedentary subjects' VO2max declined by an average of 3.3 ml.kg-1.min-1 (33.9 +/- 1.7 vs. 30.6 +/- 1.6, P less than 0.001) over the course of the study, a decline of 12% per decade. In these subjects maximal heart rate declined 8 beats/min (171 vs. 163) and maximal O2 pulse decreased from 0.20 to 0.18 ml.kg-1.beat (P less than 0.05). The master athletes' VO2 max decreased by an average of 2.2 ml.kg-1.min-1 (54.0 +/- 1.7 vs. 51.8 +/- 1.8, P less than 0.05), a 5.5% decline per decade. The master athletes' maximal heart rate was unchanged (171 +/- 3 beats/min) and their maximal O2 pulse decreased from 0.32 to 0.30 ml.kg-1.beat (P less than 0.05). These findings provide evidence that the age-related decrease in VO2max of master athletes who continue to engage in regular vigorous endurance exercise training is approximately one-half the rate of decline seen in age-matched sedentary subjects. Furthermore our results suggest that endurance exercise training may reduce the rate of decline in maximal heart rate that typically occurs as an individual ages.


2004 ◽  
Vol 97 (2) ◽  
pp. 781-789 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liza Stathokostas ◽  
Shanthi Jacob-Johnson ◽  
Robert J. Petrella ◽  
Donald H. Paterson

The purpose of this study was to describe the longitudinal (10 yr) decline in aerobic power [maximal O2 uptake (V̇o2 max)] and anaerobic threshold [ventilatory threshold (TV̇e)] of older adults living independently in the community. Ten years after initial testing, 62 subjects (34 men, mean age 73.5 ± 6.4 yr; 28 women, 72.1 ± 5.3 yr) achieved V̇o2 max criteria during treadmill walking tests to the limit of tolerance, with TV̇e determined in a subset of 45. V̇o2 max in men showed a rate of decline of −0.43 ml·kg−1·min−1·yr−1, and the decline in V̇o2 max was consequent to a lowered maximal heart rate with no change in the maximum O2 pulse. The women showed a slower rate of decline of V̇o2 max of −0.19·ml·kg−1·min−1·yr−1 ( P < 0.05), again with a lowered HRmax and unchanged O2 pulse. In this sample, lean body mass was not changed over the 10-yr period. Changes in V̇o2 max were not significantly related to physical activity scores. TV̇e showed a nonsignificant decline in both men and women. Groupings of young-old (65–72 yr at follow-up) vs. old-old (73–90 yr at follow-up) were examined. In men, there were no differences in the rate of V̇o2 max decline. The young-old women showed a significant decline in V̇o2 max, whereas old-old women, initially at a V̇o2 max of 19.4 ± 3.1 ml·kg−1·min−1, showed no loss in V̇o2 max. The longitudinal data, vs. cross-sectional analysis, showed a greater decline for men but similar estimates of the rates of change in women. Thus the 10-yr longitudinal study of the cohort of community-dwelling older adults who remained healthy, ambulatory, and independent showed a 14% decline in V̇o2 max in men, and a smaller decline of 7% in women, with the oldest women showing little change over the 10-yr period.


2008 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 1165-1171 ◽  
Author(s):  
John J. Durocher ◽  
Darin T. Leetun ◽  
Jason R. Carter

The purpose of this study was to examine lactate threshold (LT) and maximal aerobic capacity with a sport-specific skating protocol throughout a competitive season in collegiate hockey players. We hypothesized that maximal aerobic capacity and skating velocity at LT would increase as the season progressed. Sixteen Division I college hockey players performed a graded exercise skating protocol to fatigue at 3 different times (pre-, mid-, and postseason). Subjects skated for 80 s during each stage, followed by 40 s of rest to allow for blood lactate sampling. Velocity at LT was similar during preseason (4.44 ± 0.08 m·s–1) and postseason (4.52 ± 0.05 m·s–1) testing, but was significantly elevated at midseason (4.70 ± 0.08 m·s–1; p < 0.01), compared with preseason. In contrast, LT as a percentage of maximal heart rate (HRmax) was unchanged throughout the season. HRmax remained constant throughout the season, at approximately 190 beats·min–1. Preseason maximal aerobic capacity (48.7 ± 0.8 mL·kg–1·min–1) was significantly higher than that at postseason (45.0 ± 1.1 mL·kg–1·min–1; p < 0.01). In conclusion, skating velocity at LT improved from pre- to midseason, but this adaptation was not maintained at postseason. Additionally, maximal aerobic capacity was reduced from pre- to postseason. These findings suggest a need for aerobic training throughout the college hockey season.


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