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Int J Sports Med 2000; 21(4): 263-269
DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-8885
Physiology and Biochemistry
Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ·New York

Oxygen Cost for Cycling as Related to Leg Mass in Males and Females, Aged 20 to 80[1]

J. A. Neder2 , L. E. Nery2 , S. Andreoni3 , A. Sachs3 , B. J. Whipp4
  • 2 Respiratory Division, Department of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo - Escola Paulista de Medicina (UNIFESP-EPM), Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • 3 Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, UNIFESP-EPM, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • 4 Department of Physiology, St. George's Hospital Medical School, University of London, London, United Kingdom
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Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2000 (online)

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In order to evaluate the determinants of the metabolic cost for cycle ergometry, we analyzed the relationship between V˙O2 and leg mass (LM) and total body mass (TBM) in 71 randomly-selected sedentary subjects (34 men), aged 20 to 80. Participants performed constant work rate (WR) tests at 0, 25, and 50 W (at 60 rpm) for 6 minutes in a randomized sequence: gross V˙O2, gross efficiency, and work efficiency were related to TBM and LM as assessed by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. We found that gross V˙O2 and gross efficiency were more strongly related to LM than TBM but work efficiency values were independent of both (P > 0.05). Significantly higher values of V˙O2/TBM were found in subjects with large LM/TBM ratios and vice-versa; V˙O2/LM, however, did not change with anthropometric characteristics. Gross V˙O2 (mL/min) was predicted by a LM-based equation (10.6 [WR, W] + 16.8 [LM, kg] +75) with a mean error below 5 %: this equation predicted the cost more accurately than previous TBM-based formulations (P < 0.01). We conclude that leg mass actually provides the preferred frame of reference for predicting the oxygen cost for cycle ergometry at 60 rpm in sedentary subjects, independent of age or gender.

Key words:

Oxygen uptake - cycle ergometry - work efficiency - dual energy x-ray absorptiometry - body composition

01 Partially supported by Research Grants from FAPESP/CNPq-Brazil. JA NEDER was supported by a Post-doctoral Research Fellowship Grant from FAPESP-Brazil (no. 95/9843-0).

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01 Partially supported by Research Grants from FAPESP/CNPq-Brazil. JA NEDER was supported by a Post-doctoral Research Fellowship Grant from FAPESP-Brazil (no. 95/9843-0).

PhD. MD Dr. J. A. Neder

Centre for Exercise Science and Medicine Institute of Biological and Life Sciences University of Glasgow, West Medical Building

Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland

UK

Phone: + 44 (141) 3304449

Fax: + 44 (141) 3306345

Email: albneder@hotmail.com