OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation was to induce elevated plasma concentrations of potassium (K+) efflux from active muscle cells during intense muscular exercise. The relationship between K+, pulmonary ventilation (VE) and EKG changes, specifically T-wave amplitude, is presently controversial.

DESIGN: Repeated measures design.

SETTING: Human performance laboratory.

PARTICIPANTS: Twelve volunteer trained recreational cyclists (10 males, mean age 31.9 +/- 7.4, and 2 females, mean age 27.5 +/- 0.7, mean VO2max 571.2 +/- 6.4 ml.kg.min-1).

OUTCOME MEASURE: Subjects performed 10 min of pedaling at 90 rpm, yielding a power output of 45 W.min-1 on a mechanically braked cycle ergometer as a warm-up. Each exercise stage was 2 min in duration, beginning at 135 W and increased by 45 W thereafter until voluntary exhaustion. Respiratory gas exchange measures were obtained every 10 sec. Venous blood samples for K+ and lactate (LA-) determination were drawn at rest, at the end of stage 2, all subsequent stages, and during 3 and 10 min of recovery. EKG recordings were concurrent with venous sampling.

RESULTS: Statistical analyses for VE vs. K+, respiratory exchange ratio (RER) vs. K+ and RER vs. LA- revealed neither significant change nor an associative relationship from stages 1-3. However, stages 4-8 were statistically significant (p < .05) and highly correlated. No relationship was found between K+ change and T-wave amplitude during exercise or recovery.

CONCLUSION: These data indicate a strong relationship between selected respiratory gas exchange measures and K+ during intermediate to highly intense exercise.

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