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Cited by 353Cardiovascular and exercise physiologySports Performance and TrainingExercise and Physiological Responses

Slow Component of V˙O2 Kinetics: Mechanistic Bases and Practical Applications

JONES, ANDREW M., GRASSI, BRUNO, CHRISTENSEN, PETER M., KRUSTRUP, PETER, BANGSBO, JENS, POOLE, DAVID C.·2011·Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
DOI 10.1249/mss.0b013e31821fcfc1
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Abstract

The V·O₂ slow component, a slowly developing increase in V·O₂ during constant-work-rate exercise performed above the lactate threshold, represents a progressive loss of skeletal muscle contractile efficiency and is associated with the fatigue process. This brief review outlines the current state of knowledge concerning the mechanistic bases of the V·O₂ slow component and describes practical interventions that can attenuate the slow component and thus enhance exercise tolerance. There is strong evidence that, during constant-work-rate exercise, the development of the V·O₂ slow component is associated with the progressive recruitment of additional (type II) muscle fibers that are presumed to have lower efficiency. Recent studies, however, indicate that muscle efficiency is also lowered (resulting in a "mirror-image" V·O₂ slow component) during fatiguing, high-intensity exercise in which additional fiber recruitment is unlikely or impossible. Therefore, it seems that muscle fatigue underpins the V·O₂ slow component, although the greater fatigue sensitivity of recruited type II fibers might still play a crucial role in the loss of muscle efficiency in both situations. Several interventions can reduce the magnitude of the V·O₂ slow component, and these are typically associated with an enhanced exercise tolerance. These include endurance training, inspiratory muscle training, priming exercise, dietary nitrate supplementation, and the inspiration of hyperoxic gas. All of these interventions reduce muscle fatigue development either by improving muscle oxidative capacity and thus metabolic stability or by enhancing bulk muscle O2 delivery or local Q·O₂-to-V·O₂ matching. Future honing of these interventions to maximize their impact on the V·O₂ slow component might improve sports performance in athletes and exercise tolerance in the elderly or in patient populations.

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  • This redistribution might be expected to reduce substrate-level phosphorylation, improve metabolic control and exercise efficiency, and be advantageous to performance.

    “This might be expected to reduce substrate-level phosphorylation, improve metabolic control and exercise efficiency, and be advantageous to performance [40].”

    From Dietary Nitrate Supplementation and Exercise Performance (2014) · cites this paper as [40]

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Authors
JONES, A. M., GRASSI, B., CHRISTENSEN, P. M., KRUSTRUP, P., BANGSBO, J., & POOLE, D. C.
Affiliations
  • University of Exeter (GB)
  • University of Udine (IT)
  • University of Copenhagen (DK)
  • Kansas State University (US)
ORCID
Venue
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
Publisher
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Published
2011-11
Volume
43
Issue
11
Pages
2046-2062
ISSN
0195-9131 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1249/mss.0b013e31821fcfc1
OpenAlex
W1970085285
Cited by
353
References
138
Citations by year
2026: 25 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 24 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 14
FWCI
5.01
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Exercise and Physiological Responses
Keywords
VO2 slow component, oxygen uptake kinetics, skeletal muscle fatigue, muscle fiber recruitment, fast-twitch muscle, exercise tolerance, endurance training, inspiratory muscle training, nitrate supplementation, hyperoxia, muscle oxidative capacity, high-intensity exercise, constant work rate exercise
MeSH terms
Biomechanical Phenomena, Humans, Oxygen Consumption, Pulmonary Gas Exchange, Exercise, Exercise Tolerance, Muscle, Skeletal, Muscle Fatigue, Models, Animal

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