MEDEX2015: Greater Sea-Level Fitness Is Associated with Lower Sense of Effort During Himalayan Trekking Without Worse Acute Mountain Sickness.

Rossetti, Gabriella M.K., Jamie H. Macdonald, Matthew Smith, Anna R. Jackson, Nigel Callender, Hannah K. Newcombe, Heather M. Storey, Sebastian Willis, Jojanneke van den Beukel, Jonathan Woodward, James Pollard, Benjamin Wood, Victoria Newton, Jana Virian, Owen Haswell, and Samuel J. Oliver. MEDEX2015: Greater sea-level fitness is associated with lower sense of effort during Himalayan trekking without worse acute mountain sickness. High Alt Med Biol. 18:152-162, 2017.-This study examined the complex relationships of fitness and hypoxic sensitivity with submaximal exercise responses and acute mountain sickness (AMS) at altitude. Determining these relationships is necessary before fitness or hypoxic sensitivity tests can be recommended to appraise individuals' readiness for altitude. Forty-four trekkers (26 men; 18 women; 20-67 years) completed a loaded walking test and a fitness questionnaire in normoxia to measure and estimate sea-level maximal aerobic capacity (maximum oxygen consumption [[Formula: see text]O2max]), respectively. Participants also completed a hypoxic exercise test to determine hypoxic sensitivity (cardiac, ventilatory, and arterial oxygen saturation responses to acute hypoxia, fraction of inspired oxygen [Fio2] = 0.112). One month later, all participants completed a 3-week trek to 5085 m with the same ascent profile. On ascent to 5085 m, ratings of perceived exertion (RPEascent), fatigue by Brunel Mood Scale, and AMS were recorded daily. At 5085 m, RPE during a fixed workload step test (RPEfixed) and step rate during perceptually regulated exercise (STEPRPE35) were recorded. Greater sea-level [Formula: see text]O2max was associated with, and predicted, lower sense of effort (RPEascent; r = -0.43; p < 0.001; RPEfixed; r = -0.69; p < 0.001) and higher step rate (STEPRPE35; r = 0.62; p < 0.01), but not worse AMS (r = 0.13; p = 0.4) or arterial oxygen desaturation (r = 0.07; p = 0.7). Lower RPEascent was also associated with better mood, including less fatigue (r = 0.57; p < 0.001). Hypoxic sensitivity was not associated with, and did not add to the prediction of submaximal exercise responses or AMS. In conclusion, participants with greater sea-level fitness reported less effort during simulated and actual trekking activities, had better mood (less fatigue), and chose a higher step rate during perceptually regulated exercise, but did not suffer from worse AMS or arterial oxygen desaturation. Simple sea-level fitness tests may be used to aid preparation for high-altitude travel.

Effect of energy expenditure on postprandial triacylglycerol in adolescent boys.

This study examined the effects of 30 and 60 min of moderate intensity exercise on postprandial triacylglycerol concentration [TAG] in 11 healthy, 13-year-old boys. The boys completed three counterbalanced conditions. On day 1, they either rested (CON), or jogged for 30 min (EX30) or 60 min (EX60) at 55% peak [Formula: see text] Following a 12-h fast, on day 2 a capillary blood sample was taken for fasting [TAG] before a high fat milkshake was consumed. Further blood samples were taken every hour over a 6-h postprandial rest period for [TAG]. The estimated energy expenditure for EX30 (982 kJ) was doubled in EX60 (1967 kJ). Differences in fasting [TAG] between the conditions were small (ES = 0.23, P = 0.35). Differences in postprandial TAG over time between conditions were identified (ES = 0.41, P = 0.03). Mean [TAG] was lower in EX60 than CON (-33 to -3%, P = 0.03) with a similar strong trend for EX30 (-29 to 1%, P = 0.06); EX60 and EX30 were not different from each other (-21 to 14%, P = 0.62). The total area under the [TAG] versus time curve was different between conditions (ES = 0.42, P = 0.03). Again, EX60 was lower than CON (-31 to -2%, P = 0.02) with a strong trend for EX30 (-31 to 4%, P = 0.06); EX30 and EX60 were not different from each other (-17 to 16%, P = 0.58). This study shows for the first time that both 30 and 60 min of jogging, with energy expenditures equivalent to 982 and 1,967 kJ, attenuates postprandial [TAG] in adolescent boys, but not in a dose-dependent manner.