Changes in Ventilatory Response to Exercise in Trained Athletes: Respiratory Physiological Benefits Beyond Cardiovascular Performance.

INTRODUCTION

The beneficial impact of an 8-month competitive season on the ventilatory profile response to exercise in soccer players has never been evaluated.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Ventilatory profile (evaluated by determining individual tidal volume [V] relative to minute ventilation [V] inflection points during exercise) and metabolic responses to incremental exercise were evaluated in 2 professional soccer teams before and after an 8-month competitive season.

RESULTS

No differences between teams in anthropometric characteristics or in resting cardiopulmonary variables, included oxygen uptake (VO) and heart rate (HR), before and during the competitive season were found. At iso-speed, there were overall improvements in carbon dioxide output (VCO), V/VO, V/VCO, V and respiratory frequency (fR) during the season. The V/V inflection points 1 and 2 occurred with greater exercise time, HR, VO, VCO, V and V during the competitive season.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite very high baseline performance and a negligible improvement in VO, an 8-month competitive season improved ventilatory profile response to exercise in elite athletes.