Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7fkt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T08:49:22.860Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) in horses: a retrospective study to identify the age-related decline

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 March 2010

Allison Walker ,
Shawn M Arent  and
Kenneth H McKeever
Allison Walker
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Sciences, Equine Science Center, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ08901, USA
Shawn M Arent
Affiliation:
Department of Exercise Science and Sport Studies, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ08901, USA
Kenneth H McKeever*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Sciences, Equine Science Center, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ08901, USA
*
*Corresponding author: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Previous studies of the effect of age on maximal aerobic capacity (maximal rate of oxygen consumption, VO2max) in horses have only grouped horses (young, middle-aged and old) for statistical analysis. Those experiments were not designed to determine a break point due to age. The purpose of this study was to utilize data collected over the last 15 years to test the nature of the association between age and VO2max, and secondarily, to determine whether there is a ‘breakpoint’ in the age-related decline in aerobic capacity. Data were acquired from 50 unfit Standardbred mares ranging in age from 4 to 29 years, and were used in a retrospective regression analysis in order to characterize the age-related decline in VO2max. All VO2max values were measured using the same incremental graded exercise test protocol. The data were analyzed using a curvilinear regression analysis predicting VO2max from age, and the break point was determined using univariate simple contrasts. There was a significant decline in VO2max with age (R2 = 0.554; P < 0.001). The data analysis demonstrated a notable downturn in cardiopulmonary function between the ages of 18 and 20 years (P < 0.001). Such results indicate similar responses to age between humans and horses. These results have implications for improving training methods in active older horses.

Keywords

equineageingmaximal aerobic capacity
Type
Research Paper
Information
Comparative Exercise Physiology , Volume 6 , Issue 4 , November 2009 , pp. 177 - 181
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Poole, DC (2003). Current concepts of oxygen transport during exercise. Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology 1: 5–22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2 Poole, DC and Erikson, HH (2007). Cardiovascular function and oxygen transport: responses to exercise and training. In: Hinchcliff, KW, Geor, RJ and Kaneps, AJ (eds) Equine Exercise Physiology: The Science of Exercise in the Athletic Horse, 1st edn. Edinburgh, UK: Saunders Ltd, pp. 212–227.Google Scholar
3 Marlin, D and Nankervis, KJ (2002). The respiratory system. Equine Exercise Physiology. New York: Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 42–53.Google Scholar
4 McKeever, KH and Hinchcliff, KW (1995). Neuroendocrine control of blood volume, blood pressure, and cardiovascular function in horses. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 18: 77–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5 McKeever, KH and Malinowski, K (1997). Exercise capacity in young and old mares. American Journal of Veterinary Research 58: 1468–1472.Google Scholar
6 Betros, CL, McKeever, KH, Kearns, CF and Malinowksi, K (2002). Effects of aging and training on maximal heart rate and VO2max. Equine Exercise Physiology 34: 100–105.Google Scholar
7 McKeever, KH (2003). Aging and how it affects the physiological response to exercise in the horse. Clinical Techniques in Equine Practice 2: 258–265.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8 McKeever, KH and Malinowski, K (1999). Endocrine response to exercise in young and old horses. Equine Exercise Physiology 30: 561–566.Google Scholar
9 Holloszy, JO and Kohrt, WM (1995). Exercise. In: Masoro, EJ (ed.) Handbook of Physiology, Section 11, Aging, Chapter 24. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 633–666.Google Scholar
10 Lakatta, EG (1995). Cardiovascular system. In: Masoro, EJ (ed.) Handbook of Physiology, Section 11, Aging, Chapter 17. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 413–474.Google Scholar
11 Kenney, WL (1995). Body fluid and temperature regulation as a function of age. In: Lamb, DR, Gisolfi, CV and Nadel, E (eds) Perspectives in Exercise and Sports Medicine. Exercise in Older Adults, vol. 8. Carmel, IN: Cooper Publishing, pp. 305–351.Google Scholar
12 Dempsey, JA and Seals, DR (1995). Aging, exercise, and cardiopulmonary function. In: Lamb, DR, Gisolfi, CV and Nadel, E (eds) Perspectives in Exercise and Sports Medicine. Exercise in Older Adults, vol. 8. Carmel, IN: Cooper Publishing, pp. 237–304.Google Scholar
13 Stamford, BA (1988). Exercise and the elderly. In: Pandolf, KB (ed.) Exercise and Sport Science Reviews, vol. 16. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company, pp. 341–380.Google Scholar
14 Pollock, ML, Foster, C, Knapp, D, Rod, JL and Schmidt, DH (1987). Effect of age and training on aerobic capacity and body composition of master athletes. Journal of Applied Physiology 62: 725–731.Google Scholar
15 Raven, PB and Mitchell, JH (1980). Effect of aging on the cardiovascular response to dynamic and static exercise. In: Westfeldt, ML (ed.) The Aging Heart: It's Function and Response to Stress. New York: Raven Press, pp. 269–296.Google Scholar
16 Seals, DR, Hagberg, JM, Hurley, BF, Ehsani, AA and Holloszy, JO (1984). Endurance training in older men and women: I. Cardiovascular responses to exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology 57: 1024–1029.Google Scholar
17 Cooper, KH, Purdy, JG, White, SR, Pollock, ML and Linnerud, AC (1977). Age-fitness adjusted maximal heart rates. In: Brunner, D and Jokl, E (eds) Medicine and Sport: The Role of Exercise in Internal Medicine. Basel, Switzerland: Karger, vol. 10, pp. 78–88.Google Scholar
18 Sheffield, LT, Malouf, JA, Sawyer, JA and Roitman, D (1978). Maximal heart rate and treadmill performance of healthy women in relation to age. Circulation 57: 79–84.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19 Londeree, BR and Moeschberger, ML (1984). Influence of age and other factors on maximal heart rate. Journal of Cardiac Rehabilitation 4: 44–49.Google Scholar
20 Johnson, RA (2005). Statistics: Principles and Methods. 5th edn. Madison, WI: John Wiley & Sons, pp. 115–255.Google Scholar
21 Donner, A and Cunningham, DA (1984). Regression analysis in physiological research: some comments on the problem of repeated measurements. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise 16: 422–425.Google Scholar
22 Scott, AJ and Holt, D (1982). The effect of two-stage sampling on ordinary least squares methods. Journal of the American Statistical Association 77: 848–854.Google Scholar
23 Lehnhard, RA, McKeever, KH, Kearns, CF and Beekley, MD (2004). Myosin heavy chain profiles and body composition are different in old versus young Standardbred mares. The Veterinary Journal 167: 59–66.Google Scholar
24 Vincent, TL, Newton, JR, Deaton, CM, Franklin, SH, Biddick, T, McKeever, KH, et al. , (2006). Retrospective study of predictive variables for maximal heart rate (HRmax) in horses undergoing strenuous treadmill exercise. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 36: 146–152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
25 Hintz, HF (1995). Nutrition of the geriatric horse. In: Proceedings Cornell Nutrition Conference. Cornell University: Ithaca, NY, pp. 195–198.Google Scholar
26 Fell, J and Williams, AD (2008). The effect of aging on skeletal-muscle recovery from exercise: possible implications for aging athletes. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity 16: 97–115.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed