Is hemoglobin desaturation related to blood viscosity in athletes during exercise?
Abstract: Several studies have suggested that athletes with low hemoglobin saturation during exercise may experience impaired pulmonary blood gas exchange during maximal exercise. Blood viscosity may be implicated in exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage in race horses. We hypothesized that blood rheology may contribute to impaired gas exchange and reduced hemoglobin saturation during exercise in humans. A group of 20 highly trained endurance athletes participated in this study, 9 with low hemoglobin saturation during exercise (Low-SpO (2) group) and 11 with normal hemoglobin saturation (High-SpO (2) group). All subjects performed a progressive exercise test conducted to V.O (2max). Venous blood was sampled at rest, 50 % V.O (2max) and maximal exercise. Blood viscosity (etab) was measured at very high shear rate (1000 s (-1)) and 37 degrees C with a falling ball viscometer. The erythrocyte rigidity coefficient, "Tk", was calculated using the Dintenfass equation. At rest, no significant difference in etab was observed between the two groups (3.00 +/- 0.08 mPa . s vs. 3.01 +/- 0.04 mPa . s for the Low-SpO (2) and High-SpO (2) group, respectively). At 50 % V.O (2max) and maximal exercise, etab was higher in Low-SpO (2) (p < 0.01). Tk decreased in High-SpO (2) (p < 0.01) but remained unchanged in the other group during testing. The greater increase in etab in the Low-SpO (2) group during exercise may therefore have been due to the lack of reduction in Tk. As suggested by previous studies, the greater increase in blood viscosity in athletes with low hemoglobin saturation may lead to vascular shear stress. Whether this could impair the blood gas barrier and result in exercise-induced hypoxemia requires further study.
Publication Date: 2004-11-09 PubMed ID: 15531998DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-821118Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research investigates whether blood viscosity affects the levels of hemoglobin saturation in athletes during physical activity. It suggests that a higher blood viscosity in athletes experiencing lower levels of hemoglobin saturation during exercise could lead to vascular shear stress and potentially impair blood gas exchange.
Study Participants and Procedures
- The study involved 20 highly trained endurance athletes, split into two groups. Nine displayed low hemoglobin saturation during exercise (the Low-SpO2 group), and the remaining 11 showed normal saturation levels (the High-SpO2 group).
- All participants underwent a progressive exercise test taken to their maximum oxygen uptake (V.O2max).
- The researchers took venous blood samples from each participant at rest, at 50% V.O2max, and at maximal exercise.
Measurements and Findings
- The researchers measured the viscosity of the blood at a very high shear rate and the normal body temperature of 37 degrees Celsius using a falling ball viscometer. This device determines viscosity by dropping a small sphere through a cylinder filled with the fluid in question and measuring how fast it falls.
- The rigidity of the red blood cells, denoted as “Tk”, was calculated using the Dintenfass equation.
- No significant difference was observed in blood viscosity measured at rest between the two groups. However, during exercise at 50% V.O2max and at peak effort, the blood viscosity was higher in the Low-SpO2 group.
- Tk decreased in the High-SpO2 group but remained constant in the Low-SpO2 group. This lack of reduction in Tk in the Low-SpO2 group could explain the larger increase in blood viscosity during exercise for this group.
Conclusions and Further Studies
- The study found evidence suggesting that athletes with lower hemoglobin saturation during exercise may have increased blood viscosity, potentially leading to vascular shear stress. This phenomenon could impair the barrier that enables gases to be exchanged between the blood and surrounding tissues, called the blood-gas barrier.
- The research concludes by advocating for further study into whether these changes could result in exercise-induced hypoxemia, a condition where insufficient oxygen levels reach the tissues during physical activity.
Cite This Article
APA
Connes P, Bouix D, Durand F, Kippelen P, Mercier J, Prefaut C, Brun JF, Caillaud C.
(2004).
Is hemoglobin desaturation related to blood viscosity in athletes during exercise?
Int J Sports Med, 25(8), 569-574.
https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2004-821118 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- UPRES EA 2991 Sport, Performance et Santé, Montpellier, France.
MeSH Terms
- Adult
- Blood Viscosity / physiology
- Erythrocyte Deformability / physiology
- Exercise / physiology
- Exercise Test
- Hemoglobins / metabolism
- Hemorheology
- Humans
- Oxygen Consumption / physiology
- Pulmonary Gas Exchange / physiology
- Rest / physiology
Citations
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- Durand F, Raberin A. Exercise-Induced Hypoxemia in Endurance Athletes: Consequences for Altitude Exposure.. Front Sports Act Living 2021;3:663674.
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