CORRELATION OF ISOCAPNIC BUFFERING PHASE WITH AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC POWER IN ATHLETES

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study below was to detect the relationship of isocapnic buffering phase values with the values of both aerobic and anaerobic power. Method: A total of 14 athletes, five females and nine males with ages between 18 and 25, who all have been active in sports for at least five years, volunteered to participate in the present study. At the beginning, the values of height, body mass, and body fat ratio of the volunteers were collected as required. Then, a maximal exercise test was applied to the volunteers and during the test, the values of maximal oxygen consumption capacity (VO2max), amount of oxygen consumed (VO2), amount of carbon dioxide produced (VCO2), respiratory threshold, respiratory compensation point, and maximal heart rate were determined accordingly. One week after aforesaid measurements, the Wingate anaerobic test was applied to the volunteers and the anaerobic power values were calculated. Initially, the descriptive statistics of the data obtained in the study were accomplished. Since the data did not reflect a normal distribution, the Spearman correlation analysis was applied to detect the correlation between both the aerobic and anaerobic power data and the isocapnic buffering data. The level of significance was accepted as p < 0.05. Results: Whereas a positive correlation was observed between VO2max (ml/kg/min) values and the values of maximum power (W/kg), average power (W/kg) and, minimum power (W/kg), a negative correlation was observed between VO2max (ml/kg/min) and power drop values (%) in female volunteers. For male volunteers, on the other hand, a positive correlation was observed between the values of VO2max (ml/kg/min) and minimum power (W/kg), and a negative correlation between the values of VO2max (ml/kg/min) and power drop (%). Furthermore, a significant relationship was also found between the values of isocapnic buffering and hypocapnic hyperventilation, and the values of maximal heart rate (beats/min), respiratory threshold VO2 (ml/kg/min), respiratory threshold heart rate (beats/min), respiratory threshold speed (km/hour), respiratory compensation point heart rate (beats/min), and respiratory compensation point speed (km/hour) in both male and female volunteers. Conclusion: The findings collected hereby indicate that as the VO2max levels of athletes increase, both their cardiopulmonary data and anaerobic power values and also their ability to resist against the intensity of exercises applied after entering the anaerobic threshold, increase. Meanwhile, the rises in VO2max levels of athletes suggest that it will contribute to an athlete’s better performance by causing decreases in the power drop ratios (%) attained during the Wingate test.