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Impact of Total Hemoglobin Mass on VO2max: 520 May 30 9:45 AM 10:00 AM
Abstract
Total hemoglobin mass (tHb-mass) is assumed to be one major determining factor of endurance performance. The exact impact of tHb-mass on VO2max, however, has not yet been quantified. PURPOSE: To determine the relationship between tHb-mass and VO2max in large groups of differently trained subjects in a meta-analysis. METHODS: Data of 572 male (n=375) and female (n=197) subjects obtained from two laboratories were included. The subjects were divided in 4 performance-related subgroups (G1-G4) according to their VO2max (ml/min/kg; males/females in G1: <48/<37, n=121; G2: 48–57/38–47, n=199; G3: 58–67/48–57, n=153; G4: >68/>58, n=99. tHb-mass was measured by using the optimized CO-rebreathig method; VO2max was determined on a treadmill or cycle ergometer and was corrected to cycle ergometer conditions. RESULTS: Mean tHb-mass (g/kg) of the performance subgroups was 10.7 ±1.8 in G1, 11.5 ±1.8 in G2, 12.8 ±1.6 in G3, and 14.6 ±1.8 in G4. VO2max was closely related to tHb-mass when calculated for the whole group (y=4.3x + 55, r=0.864) as well as for the male (y=4.1x + 283, r=0.681) and female (y=4.4x - 39, r=0.704) subgroups. Comparing the performance subgroups the slope and constant of the regression line continuously increased with increasing training status (slope: from 3.2 in G1 to 4.0 in G4). Partial regression analysis yielded a highly significant positive effect of relative tHb-mass (g/kg) on relative VO2max (ml/min/kg) while hemoglobin concentration was negatively related to VO2max in the whole group and not-related in the performance subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Absolute and relative VO2max are closely related to tHb-mass. In elite endurance athletes the impact of tHb-mass on VO2max gains importance since oxygen consumption per gram hemoglobin is elevated by approx. 40% and since the raise of 1g hemoglobin is associated with an approx. 25% higher increase in VO2max, respectively. Hemoglobin concentration, however, is not related to endurance performance.
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Metadata
- Authors
- Schmidt, W. F., Prommer, N., Heinicke, K., & Boening, D.
- Affiliations
- Texas Health Dallas (US)
- ORCID
- Schmidt, Walter F.
- Venue
- Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
- Published
- 2007-05
- Volume
- 39
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- S3
- ISSN
- 0195-9131 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1987429134
- Cited by
- 2
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1
- FWCI
- 0.23
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › High Altitude and Hypoxia
- Keywords
- total hemoglobin mass, VO2max, endurance performance, endurance athletes, hemoglobin levels, training status, sex differences, oxygen consumption, cardiorespiratory fitness, elite athletes
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- CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Impact of Total Hemoglobin Mass on VO2max: 520 May 30 9:45 AM 10:00 AM. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1249/01.mss.0000272879.95059.77
- The paper
- Schmidt, W. F., Prommer, N., Heinicke, K., & Boening, D. (2007). Impact of Total Hemoglobin Mass on VO2max: 520 May 30 9:45 AM 10:00 AM. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000272879.95059.77
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