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Int J Sports Med 1988; 09: 79-88
DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1025621
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Cardiocirculatory, Hormonal, and Metabolic Reactions to Various Forms of Ergometric Tests*

R. Pluto, S. A. Cruze, M. Weiβ, T. Hotz, P. Mandel, H. Weicker
  • Department of Pathophysiology and Sports Medicine, Medical Clinic and Policlinic, University of Heidelberg, FRG
* Parts of this study were published in German: Pluto R., Craze S.A., Weicker H.: Herz-Kreislaufreaktionen bei verschiedenen Ergometrieformen und ihre Beziehungen zu volumen- und stoffwechselregulierenden Hormonsystemen. Zentralblatt für Arbeitsmedizin 37: 51-56, 1987,®: Dr. Curt Haefner Verlag, Heidelberg. - Pluto R., Cruze S.A., Hotz T., Mandel P., Weiss M., Weicker H.: Stoffwechselprozesse und venöse Katecholamine unter Ergometerbelastungen. Dtsch Z Sportmed 38: 322-332, 1987.®: Deutscher Ärzte-Verlag, Köln
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Publication Date:
14 March 2008 (online)

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Abstract

The sympathoadrenergic reaction is not only dependent on the duration and intensity of work but also on the body position and the involvement of small or large muscle masses. This observation made in field tests comparing different sports disciplines such as swimming, running, or diving encouraged us to investigate this topic under the following laboratory conditions.

Twelve healthy sport students participated in ergometric tests on a bicycle ergometer in a horizontal and vertical body position as well as on a treadmill and a swim bench ergometer.

The changes of plasma catecholamines (CA) obtained in the different ergometric tests were compared with those cardiocirculatory, metabolic, and hormonal parameters which can be influenced by the sympathoadrenergic stimulation.

In the horizontal body position we found a smaller increase of norepinephrine at submaximal and maximal work loads combined with a similar reaction of renin, whereas the diastolic blood pressure and the mean arterial blood pressure increased more. The substrates of lipolysis and aerobic and anaerobic glycolysis did not show obvious differences depending on the body position. In the swim bench test, however, the lactate increase started earlier and was comparatively higher than in the other ergometric tests in which the maximal work load and V̇O2max were higher. Although a smaller muscle mass was used and a lower maximal oxygen uptake was reached, we did not find statistically different CA values during the swim bench ergometric test compared with the bicycle ergometric test in a horizontal body position. In our ergometric tests, the venous CA levels (especially norepinephrine) were predominantly influenced by the body position.

Key words

ergometric tests - catecholamines - hormones - cardiocirculation - metabolism