In this episode, Paul Laursen, Paul Warloski, and Marjaana Rakai tackle one of the least understood but critically important VO2 max limiters: the lungs. From the phenomenon of exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia (EIH) affecting 50% of elite athletes to practical methods for respiratory muscle training, the trio breaks down the science of lung function and its real impact on athletic performance. Whether you're curious about lung size, high-performance breathing tools, or simply how to get more oxygen into your bloodstream, this episode offers actionable insights and an engaging discussion around a key pillar of endurance capacity.
Key Episode Takeaways
- Lung function can limit VO2 max, especially in elite athletes experiencing EIH.
- Environmental irritants like smoke and pollution can compound oxygen saturation issues.
- Four key mechanisms cause EIH: ventilation-perfusion mismatch, high cardiac output speed, physiological shunting, and alveolar hypoventilation.
- Training respiratory muscles can reduce the impact of EIH and improve performance.
- Tools like the Breathe Way Better bag and PowerBreathe help train lung musculature.
- Lung size correlates with body size and can impact VO2 max, especially in smaller-stature individuals.
- Women are more likely to experience EIH due to generally smaller lungs.
- VO2 max improvements also aid in submaximal performance by increasing efficiency.
