A Forty-Year Follow-Up of the Dallas Bed Rest and Training Study: The Effect of Age on the Cardiovascular Response to Exercise in Men

Abstract

In the original five participants of the Dallas Bed Rest and Training Study, VO(2max) declined after 40 years of living due to a balanced decrease in central and peripheral determinants of oxygen uptake. The rate of decline in VO(2max) and its components accelerated after the age of 50 years secondary to age and clinical comorbidities. The net proportional decline in VO(2max) for a period of 40 years of life was comparable with that experienced after 3 weeks of strict bed rest at the age of 20 (27% vs 26%, respectively).