O2 Arterial Desaturation in Endurance Athletes Increases Muscle Deoxygenation

Abstract

Greater muscle deoxygenation at maximal exercise in hypoxemic athletes seems to be due, at least in part, to reduced oxygen delivery--that is, exercise-induced hypoxemia--to working muscle added to the metabolic demand. In addition, our finding is also consistent with the hypothesis of greater muscle oxygen extraction in order to counteract reduced O2 availability.