1989 Volume 38 Issue 3 Pages 85-94
A study was conducted to examine the efficacy of indicators of anaerobic work capacity or estimations of anaerobic energy expenditure by measuring Δ blood lactate and O2 debt after short-term maximal exercise. Eight male subjects performed cycle ergometer pedaling against 5.5-7.0 kp resistance with maximal effort for 45 s. After pedaling, venous blood samples were drawn serially at 1 min intervals from 1 to 10 min, for measurement of peak blood lactate. Anaerobic energy expenditure was determined in terms of both alactacid and lactacid energy expenditure, on the basis of Δ blood lactate (L-method) and O2 uptake kinetics (D-method) during recovery.
The following results were obtained:
1) The correlation coefficient between lactate and performance was higher (about 0.3-0.5) when lactate was expressed as the estimated value of lactate production rather than Δ blood lactate. A significant relationship (r=0.740, p<0.05) was found between lactate production and peak power.
2) When O2 uptake after recovery for 60 min did not recover to the baseline of O2 uptake at rest, O2 debt was calculated using a baseline of O2 uptake just before the end of recovery. This O2 debt was significantly correlated with work at any time of recovery.
3) There was a significant relationship between lactate production and lactic O2 debt, which was significantly correlated with work.
4) When lactacid energy was calculated using a formula of 1.7×Δ blood lactate and 0.3 kcal/g lactate, there was no significant difference between anaerobic energy expenditure calculated by the L- and D-methods for up to 30 min during recovery.
It was concluded that a) the estimated value of lactate production and O2 debt calculated using a baseline of O2 uptake just before the end of recovery could be employed as an indicator of anaerobic work capacity, and b) Δ La multiplied by a coefficient of 1.7 and 0.3 kcal/g lactate was more appropriate for estimating anaerobic expenditure in short-term maximal cycle ergometer pedaling.
