The Stress Exercise Test and Oxygen Uptake in Normal Korean Men

In order to observe physiologic responses to exercise and measure the normal value of maximal oxygen uptake, an exercise stress test, using a bicycle ergometer, was carried out on 82 normal males, 20 to 60 years of age. The exercise test consisted of 1 minute of unloaded cycling with an increment of 25 watts each minute to the point of exhaustion. Oxygen uptake, anaerobic threshold(AT), minute ventilation, and CO(2) output were measured with an automatic gas analyzer and a pneumotachograph during the exercise. 1. The maximal oxygen uptake in the 20–29 year-old group of subjects was 39.6ml/min/kg, and it decreased with advancing age. 2. The anaerobic threshold was 1.22–1.5 L/min in all age groups. No significant differences by age were observed. The mean ratio of the anaerobic threshold to the maximal oxygen uptake was 57%. 3. The minute ventilation at maximal exercise was 65% of the maximal voluntary ventilation. This means that the subject cannot perform exercise at all, because of shortness of breath, that some potentially useful ventilation is left.