Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 79, Issue 4 1219-1225, Copyright © 1995 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Effects of physical conditioning on endogenous nitric oxide output during exercise

M. J. Maroun, S. Mehta, R. Turcotte, M. G. Cosio and S. N. Hussain
Desmond N. Stoker Pulmonary Function Laboratories, Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Nitric oxide (NO) has been detected in the expiratory air of normal animals and human subjects. Recent experiments revealed that expiratory NO production rises during exercise and correlates well with O2 consumption (VO2) and heart rate. Whether physical conditioning influences expiratory NO output production remains unclear. In this study, NO concentration in expired gas was measured in 18 healthy male volunteers subdivided into three groups (sedentary, intermediate, and athletic) on the basis of the subjects' state of physical conditioning. Measurements were taken at rest and during two steady-state exercise bouts on a bicycle ergometer designed to elicit VO2 of 1 and 2 l/min with the athletes performing an additional bout at VO2 of 4 l/min. In the sedentary and intermediate groups, expired NO concentrations declined significantly with increasing VO2. In contrast, expired NO levels declined only slightly with increasing VO2 in the athletes. At a VO2 of 2 l/min, expired NO concentrations were significantly higher in the athletes compared with values in the other groups. When correlated with minute ventilation (VE), expired NO concentrations declined linearly with the increase in VE in sedentary and intermediate groups but not in the athletes. Only the athletes had a significant linear increase in NO output (expired NO x VE) with increasing VO2 (P < 0.001). These results support the notion that physical conditioning increases expiratory NO output during exercise. We speculate that the rise in expiratory NO output in the athletes might be due to increased vascular and/or epithelial production of NO. Enhanced vascular NO production may be the result of increased shear stress and/or upregulation of endothelial NO synthase gene expression.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H.-W. Shin, C. D. Schwindt, A. S. Aledia, C. M. Rose-Gottron, J. K. Larson, R. L. Newcomb, D. M. Cooper, and S. C. George Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction alters airway nitric oxide exchange in a pattern distinct from spirometry Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, December 1, 2006; 291(6): R1741 - R1748. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. West, M. Skowronski, A. C. MS, and E. R. McFadden Jr The Effects of Hyperpnea on Exhaled Nitric Oxide Synthesis in Normal Subjects Chest, November 1, 2005; 128(5): 3316 - 3321. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				ATS/ERS Recommendations for Standardized Procedures for the Online and Offline Measurement of Exhaled Lower Respiratory Nitric Oxide and Nasal Nitric Oxide, 2005 Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., April 15, 2005; 171(8): 912 - 930. [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. W. Rowland Circulatory Responses to Exercise: Are We Misreading Fick? Chest, March 1, 2005; 127(3): 1023 - 1030. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Lauer, T. Suvorava, U. Ruther, R. Jacob, W. Meyer, D. G. Harrison, and G. Kojda Critical involvement of hydrogen peroxide in exercise-induced up-regulation of endothelial NO synthase Cardiovasc Res, January 1, 2005; 65(1): 254 - 262. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E Clini, L Bianchi, K Foglio, R Porta, M Vitacca, and N Ambrosino Effect of pulmonary rehabilitation on exhaled nitric oxide in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Thorax, July 1, 2001; 56(7): 519 - 523. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. W. F. M. De Gouw, S. J. Marshall-Partridge, H. Van der Veen, J. G. Van den Aardweg, P. S. Hiemstra, and P. J. Sterk Role of nitric oxide in the airway response to exercise in healthy and asthmatic subjects J Appl Physiol, February 1, 2001; 90(2): 586 - 592. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. A. KINGWELL Nitric oxide-mediated metabolic regulation during exercise: effects of training in health and cardiovascular disease FASEB J, September 1, 2000; 14(12): 1685 - 1696. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				E. Clini, L. Bianchi, M. Vitacca, R. Porta, K. Foglio, and N. Ambrosino Exhaled Nitric Oxide and Exercise in Stable COPD Patients Chest, March 1, 2000; 117(3): 702 - 707. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Silkoff Recommendations for Standardized Procedures for the Online and Offline Measurement of Exhaled Lower Respiratory Nitric Oxide and Nasal Nitric Oxide in Adults and Children---1999 . THIS OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF THE AMERICAN THORACIC SOCIETY WAS ADOPTED BY THE ATS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, JULY 1999 Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., December 1, 1999; 160(6): 2104 - 2117. [Full Text]

				C. M. ST. CROIX, T. J. WETTER, D. F. PEGELOW, K. C. MEYER, and J. A. DEMPSEY Assessment of Nitric Oxide Formation During Exercise Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., April 1, 1999; 159(4): 1125 - 1133. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. M. Tsoukias and S. C. George A two-compartment model of pulmonary nitric oxide exchange dynamics J Appl Physiol, August 1, 1998; 85(2): 653 - 666. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. THERMINARIAS, P. FLORE, A. FAVRE-JUVIN, M.-F. ODDOU, M. DELAIRE, and F. GRIMBERT Air Contamination with Nitric Oxide . Effect on Exhaled Nitric Oxide Response Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., March 1, 1998; 157(3): 791 - 795. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. W. Hyde, E. J. Geigel, A. J. Olszowka, J. A. Krasney, R. E. Forster II, M. J. Utell, and M. W. Frampton Determination of production of nitric oxide by lower airways of humans---theory J Appl Physiol, April 1, 1997; 82(4): 1290 - 1296. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. F. Chirpaz-Oddou, A. Favre-Juvin, P. Flore, J. Eterradossi, M. Delaire, F. Grimbert, and A. Therminarias Nitric oxide response in exhaled air during an incremental exhaustive exercise J Appl Physiol, April 1, 1997; 82(4): 1311 - 1318. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]