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

Abstract

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_T] relative to minute ventilation [V_E] 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 (VO₂) and heart rate (HR), before and during the competitive season were found. At iso-speed, there were overall improvements in carbon dioxide output (VCO₂), V_E/VO₂, V_E/VCO₂, V_E and respiratory frequency (fR) during the season. The V_T/V_E inflection points 1 and 2 occurred with greater exercise time, HR, VO₂, VCO₂, V_E and V_T during the competitive season.

Conclusions: Despite very high baseline performance and a negligible improvement in VO₂, an 8-month competitive season improved ventilatory profile response to exercise in elite athletes.

Keywords: Breathing pattern; Esfuerzo; Exercise; Jugadores de fútbol; Patrón respiratorio; Perfil ventilatorio; Soccer players; Ventilatory profile.