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Cited by 482Cardiovascular and exercise physiologyExercise and Physiological ResponsesBlood properties and coagulation

Red blood cells in sports: Effects of exercise and training on oxygen supply by red blood cells

Open access
Mairbäurl, Heimo·2013·Frontiers in Physiology
DOI 10.3389/fphys.2013.00332PMC PMC3824146
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Abstract

During exercise the cardiovascular system has to warrant substrate supply to working muscle. The main function of red blood cells in exercise is the transport of O2 from the lungs to the tissues and the delivery of metabolically produced CO2 to the lungs for expiration. Hemoglobin also contributes to the blood's buffering capacity, and ATP and NO release from red blood cells contributes to vasodilation and improved blood flow to working muscle. These functions require adequate amounts of red blood cells in circulation. Trained athletes, particularly in endurance sports, have a decreased hematocrit, which is sometimes called "sports anemia." This is not anemia in a clinical sense, because athletes have in fact an increased total mass of red blood cells and hemoglobin in circulation relative to sedentary individuals. The slight decrease in hematocrit by training is brought about by an increased plasma volume (PV). The mechanisms that increase total red blood cell mass by training are not understood fully. Despite stimulated erythropoiesis, exercise can decrease the red blood cell mass by intravascular hemolysis mainly of senescent red blood cells, which is caused by mechanical rupture when red blood cells pass through capillaries in contracting muscles, and by compression of red cells e.g., in foot soles during running or in hand palms in weightlifters. Together, these adjustments cause a decrease in the average age of the population of circulating red blood cells in trained athletes. These younger red cells are characterized by improved oxygen release and deformability, both of which also improve tissue oxygen supply during exercise.

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  • It is possible that transfemale athletes experience impaired endurance performance in part due to reduced oxygen transport from the lungs to the working muscles.

    “it is possible that transfemale athletes experience impaired endurance performance in part due to reduced oxygen transport from the lungs to the working muscles.62”

    From How does hormone transition in transgender women change body composition, muscle strength and haemoglobin? Systematic review with a focus on the implications for sport participation (2021) · cites this paper as [62]

    The Introduction says that reduced hemoglobin can decrease exercise performance, and the Abstract identifies red blood cells as transporting oxygen from the lungs to working tissues. The paper does not address transfemale athletes or establish that they have reduced oxygen transport, so the population-specific application is unsupported. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Resting muscle consumes about 1 ml O2 per minute and per 100 g of tissue, but oxygen consumption can increase up to 50-fold in contracting muscle when exercising, enabling enhanced performance.

    “Resting muscle consumes ‘only’ 1 ml O2 per minute and per 100 g of tissue, but oxygen consumption can increase up to 50-fold in contracting muscle, when exercising [34], and this enables enhanced performance [35].”

    From Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue and Cognition: A Narrative Review of the Biochemical and Clinical Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as [35]

  • During anemia, when hemoglobin levels are decreased, oxygen delivery is impaired, with consequences for cognitive and physical performance, and perceived fatigue and tiredness.

    “During anemia, i.e., when the levels of hemoglobin (the oxygen carrier) are decreased, oxygen delivery is impaired, with consequences for not only cognitive [36] and physical [35] performance, but also perceived fatigue and tiredness [37].”

    From Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue and Cognition: A Narrative Review of the Biochemical and Clinical Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as [35]

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Rapoport S. M. (1986). The Reticulocyte. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, FLorida

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Authors
Mairbäurl, H.
Affiliations
Heidelberg University (DE)
Corresponding author
Mairbäurl, Heimo
ORCID
Mairbäurl, Heimo
Venue
Frontiers in Physiology
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Published
2013
Volume
4
Pages
332-332
ISSN
1664-042X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3389/fphys.2013.00332
PMC
PMC3824146
OpenAlex
W2046459032
Cited by
482
References
194
Citations by year
2026: 42 · 2025: 41 · 2024: 60 · 2023: 44 · 2022: 43 · 2021: 45 · 2020: 48 · 2019: 46 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 39 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 10
FWCI
3.51
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Frontiers in Physiology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Exercise and Physiological Responses
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Blood properties and coagulation
Keywords
erythrocytes, physical activity, training, sports anemia, hematocrit, plasma volume, erythropoiesis, intravascular hemolysis, erythrocyte deformability, oxygen delivery, hemoglobin, blood buffering, vasodilation, endurance athletes

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