Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that leg blood flow responses during submaximal cycle ergometry are reduced with age in healthy normally active men. Eleven younger (20-25 yr) and eight older (62-73 yr) normotensive, nonendurance-trained men performed both graded and constant-load bouts of leg cycling at the same absolute and relative [% of peak O2 consumption (VO2 peak)] exercise intensities while leg blood flow (femoral vein thermodilution), mean arterial pressure (MAP; radial artery), cardiac output (acetylene rebreathing), blood O2 content, and plasma catecholamines were measured. Leg blood flow responses at the same absolute submaximal power outputs (20-100 W) and at a fixed systemic O2 demand (1.1 l/min) did not differ between groups (P = 0.14-0.19), despite lower absolute levels of cardiac output in the older men (P < 0.05). MAP at the same absolute power outputs was 8-12 mmHg higher (P < 0.05) in the older men, but calculated leg vascular conductance responses (leg blood flow/MAP) were identical in the two groups (P > 0.9). At the same relative intensity (60% VO2 peak), leg norepinephrine spillover rates were approximately twofold higher in the older men (P = 0.38). Exercise-induced increases in leg arterial-venous O2 difference were identical between groups (P > 0.9) because both arterial and venous O2 contents were lower in the older vs. younger men. These results suggest that the ability to augment active limb blood flow and O2 extraction during submaximal large muscle mass exercise is not impaired but is well preserved with age in healthy men who are normally active.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1859-1869 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Journal of applied physiology |
Volume | 94 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 1 2003 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Physiology
- Physiology (medical)