ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Gazzetta Medica Italiana Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2017 December;176(12):640-6

DOI: 10.23736/S0393-3660.17.03443-X

Copyright © 2017 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Maximal oxygen uptake, ventilatory threshold and fat oxidation after an incremental exercise test in triathletes

Hanapi M. JOHARI ¹, Brinnell A. CASZO ¹, Victor F. KNIGHT ¹, Steven A. LUMLEY ², Aminuddin K. ABDUL HAMID ¹, Justin V. GNANOU ¹ ✉

¹ Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, National Defence University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; ² Team Time Triathlon, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

BACKGROUND: Anthropometry determined by ones’ ethnicity plays an important role in determining the measures of performance. Triathletes are in a unique position with respect to the relationship between anthropometry and performance since triathlon involves running, cycling and swimming. Thus, we hypothesize that ethnicity could affect the physiological measures of performance as well as energy metabolism in triathletes.
METHODS: Eight male elite triathletes of Chinese origin with an average age of 18.50±2.98 years took part in this study. An incremental exercise test using the Bruce Protocol was carried out to measure the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and ventilatory threshold (VT). From these measures the rate of fat oxidation (Fox) and maximal fat oxidation (fatmax) of the athletes was calculated. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v. 21.
RESULTS: The mean VO2max was 65.29±4.91 mL/kg/min, with the VT achieved at a VO2max of 51.31±7.29 mL/kg/min. The fat oxidation rate was 0.45±0.15 g/min with a Fatmax of 40.13±9.48. We compared these findings through a literature search with age-matched triathletes from other ethnic background and found that our triathletes had comparable VO2max and VT. However we found our triathletes achieved higher rate of fat oxidation.
CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that though ethnicity determines anthropometry and therefore affects physiological measures of performance; it does not seem to affect VO2max and VT. However, it does seem to play a role in the body’s preference of metabolic substrate during a strenuous exercise.

KEY WORDS: Athletic performance -Exercise - Athletes - Pulmonary ventilation - Lipid metabolism