Physiological, biochemical, anthropometric, and biomechanical influences on exercise economy in humans

C Lundby; D Montero; S Gehrig; U Andersson Hall; P Kaiser; R Boushel; A-K Meinild Lundby; N Kirk; P Valdivieso; M Flück; N H Secher; F Edin; T Hein; K Madsen

doi:10.1111/sms.12849

Physiological, biochemical, anthropometric, and biomechanical influences on exercise economy in humans

C Lundby, D Montero, S Gehrig, U Andersson Hall, P Kaiser, R Boushel, A-K Meinild Lundby, N Kirk, P Valdivieso, M Flück, N H Secher, F Edin, T Hein, K Madsen

Department of Clinical Medicine

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Interindividual variation in running and cycling exercise economy (EE) remains unexplained although studied for more than a century. This study is the first to comprehensively evaluate the importance of biochemical, structural, physiological, anthropometric, and biomechanical influences on running and cycling EE within a single study. In 22 healthy males (VO₂max range 45.5-72.1 mL·min⁻¹·kg⁻¹), no factor related to skeletal muscle structure (% slow-twitch fiber content, number of capillaries per fiber), mitochondrial properties (volume density, oxidative capacity, or mitochondrial efficiency), or protein content (UCP3 and MFN2 expression) explained variation in cycling and running EE among subjects. In contrast, biomechanical variables related to vertical displacement correlated well with running EE, but were not significant when taking body weight into account. Thus, running EE and body weight were correlated (R²=.94; P<.001), but was lower for cycling EE (R²=.23; P<.023). To separate biomechanical determinants of running EE, we contrasted individual running and cycling EE considering that during cycle ergometer exercise, the biomechanical influence on EE would be small because of the fixed movement pattern. Differences in cycling and running exercise protocols, for example, related to biomechanics, play however only a secondary role in determining EE. There was no evidence for an impact of structural or functional skeletal muscle variables on EE. Body weight was the main determinant of EE explaining 94% of variance in running EE, although more than 50% of the variability of cycling EE remains unexplained.

Original language	English
Journal	Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
Volume	27
Issue number	12
Pages (from-to)	1627-1637
ISSN	0905-7188
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12849
Publication status	Published - Dec 2017

Keywords

Adult
Anthropometry
Bicycling/physiology
Biomechanical Phenomena
Body Composition
Body Weight
Cross-Sectional Studies
Energy Metabolism
Exercise Test
Humans
Male
Mitochondria, Muscle/physiology
Muscle Fibers, Skeletal/physiology
Muscle, Skeletal/physiology
Oxygen Consumption
Running/physiology
Young Adult

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10.1111/sms.12849

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Lundby, C., Montero, D., Gehrig, S., Andersson Hall, U., Kaiser, P., Boushel, R., Meinild Lundby, A.-K., Kirk, N., Valdivieso, P., Flück, M., Secher, N. H., Edin, F., Hein, T., & Madsen, K. (2017). Physiological, biochemical, anthropometric, and biomechanical influences on exercise economy in humans. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 27(12), 1627-1637. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12849

Lundby, C, Montero, D, Gehrig, S, Andersson Hall, U, Kaiser, P, Boushel, R, Meinild Lundby, A-K, Kirk, N, Valdivieso, P, Flück, M, Secher, NH, Edin, F, Hein, T & Madsen, K 2017, 'Physiological, biochemical, anthropometric, and biomechanical influences on exercise economy in humans', Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, vol. 27, no. 12, pp. 1627-1637. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12849

@article{4507b1efc3064b4d9ff474a238a813c0,

title = "Physiological, biochemical, anthropometric, and biomechanical influences on exercise economy in humans",

abstract = "Interindividual variation in running and cycling exercise economy (EE) remains unexplained although studied for more than a century. This study is the first to comprehensively evaluate the importance of biochemical, structural, physiological, anthropometric, and biomechanical influences on running and cycling EE within a single study. In 22 healthy males (VO2max range 45.5-72.1 mL·min−1·kg−1), no factor related to skeletal muscle structure (% slow-twitch fiber content, number of capillaries per fiber), mitochondrial properties (volume density, oxidative capacity, or mitochondrial efficiency), or protein content (UCP3 and MFN2 expression) explained variation in cycling and running EE among subjects. In contrast, biomechanical variables related to vertical displacement correlated well with running EE, but were not significant when taking body weight into account. Thus, running EE and body weight were correlated (R2=.94; P<.001), but was lower for cycling EE (R2=.23; P<.023). To separate biomechanical determinants of running EE, we contrasted individual running and cycling EE considering that during cycle ergometer exercise, the biomechanical influence on EE would be small because of the fixed movement pattern. Differences in cycling and running exercise protocols, for example, related to biomechanics, play however only a secondary role in determining EE. There was no evidence for an impact of structural or functional skeletal muscle variables on EE. Body weight was the main determinant of EE explaining 94% of variance in running EE, although more than 50% of the variability of cycling EE remains unexplained.",

keywords = "Adult, Anthropometry, Bicycling/physiology, Biomechanical Phenomena, Body Composition, Body Weight, Cross-Sectional Studies, Energy Metabolism, Exercise Test, Humans, Male, Mitochondria, Muscle/physiology, Muscle Fibers, Skeletal/physiology, Muscle, Skeletal/physiology, Oxygen Consumption, Running/physiology, Young Adult",

author = "C Lundby and D Montero and S Gehrig and {Andersson Hall}, U and P Kaiser and R Boushel and {Meinild Lundby}, A-K and N Kirk and P Valdivieso and M Fl{\"u}ck and Secher, {N H} and F Edin and T Hein and K Madsen",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.",

year = "2017",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1111/sms.12849",

language = "English",

volume = "27",

pages = "1627--1637",

journal = "Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports",

issn = "0905-7188",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Physiological, biochemical, anthropometric, and biomechanical influences on exercise economy in humans

AU - Lundby, C

AU - Montero, D

AU - Gehrig, S

AU - Andersson Hall, U

AU - Kaiser, P

AU - Boushel, R

AU - Meinild Lundby, A-K

AU - Kirk, N

AU - Valdivieso, P

AU - Flück, M

AU - Secher, N H

AU - Edin, F

AU - Hein, T

AU - Madsen, K

PY - 2017/12

Y1 - 2017/12

N2 - Interindividual variation in running and cycling exercise economy (EE) remains unexplained although studied for more than a century. This study is the first to comprehensively evaluate the importance of biochemical, structural, physiological, anthropometric, and biomechanical influences on running and cycling EE within a single study. In 22 healthy males (VO2max range 45.5-72.1 mL·min−1·kg−1), no factor related to skeletal muscle structure (% slow-twitch fiber content, number of capillaries per fiber), mitochondrial properties (volume density, oxidative capacity, or mitochondrial efficiency), or protein content (UCP3 and MFN2 expression) explained variation in cycling and running EE among subjects. In contrast, biomechanical variables related to vertical displacement correlated well with running EE, but were not significant when taking body weight into account. Thus, running EE and body weight were correlated (R2=.94; P<.001), but was lower for cycling EE (R2=.23; P<.023). To separate biomechanical determinants of running EE, we contrasted individual running and cycling EE considering that during cycle ergometer exercise, the biomechanical influence on EE would be small because of the fixed movement pattern. Differences in cycling and running exercise protocols, for example, related to biomechanics, play however only a secondary role in determining EE. There was no evidence for an impact of structural or functional skeletal muscle variables on EE. Body weight was the main determinant of EE explaining 94% of variance in running EE, although more than 50% of the variability of cycling EE remains unexplained.

AB - Interindividual variation in running and cycling exercise economy (EE) remains unexplained although studied for more than a century. This study is the first to comprehensively evaluate the importance of biochemical, structural, physiological, anthropometric, and biomechanical influences on running and cycling EE within a single study. In 22 healthy males (VO2max range 45.5-72.1 mL·min−1·kg−1), no factor related to skeletal muscle structure (% slow-twitch fiber content, number of capillaries per fiber), mitochondrial properties (volume density, oxidative capacity, or mitochondrial efficiency), or protein content (UCP3 and MFN2 expression) explained variation in cycling and running EE among subjects. In contrast, biomechanical variables related to vertical displacement correlated well with running EE, but were not significant when taking body weight into account. Thus, running EE and body weight were correlated (R2=.94; P<.001), but was lower for cycling EE (R2=.23; P<.023). To separate biomechanical determinants of running EE, we contrasted individual running and cycling EE considering that during cycle ergometer exercise, the biomechanical influence on EE would be small because of the fixed movement pattern. Differences in cycling and running exercise protocols, for example, related to biomechanics, play however only a secondary role in determining EE. There was no evidence for an impact of structural or functional skeletal muscle variables on EE. Body weight was the main determinant of EE explaining 94% of variance in running EE, although more than 50% of the variability of cycling EE remains unexplained.

KW - Adult

KW - Anthropometry

KW - Bicycling/physiology

KW - Biomechanical Phenomena

KW - Body Composition

KW - Body Weight

KW - Cross-Sectional Studies

KW - Energy Metabolism

KW - Exercise Test

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Mitochondria, Muscle/physiology

KW - Muscle Fibers, Skeletal/physiology

KW - Muscle, Skeletal/physiology

KW - Oxygen Consumption

KW - Running/physiology

KW - Young Adult

U2 - 10.1111/sms.12849

DO - 10.1111/sms.12849

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 28164383

SN - 0905-7188

VL - 27

SP - 1627

EP - 1637

JO - Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports

JF - Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports

IS - 12

ER -

Physiological, biochemical, anthropometric, and biomechanical influences on exercise economy in humans

Abstract

Keywords

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