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Aged Men Experience Disturbances in Recovery Following Submaximal Exercise

¹ Department of Kinesiology and ² Division of Sports Medicine, The College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia.
³ Center for Excellence in Aging and Geriatric Health, Williamsburg, Virginia.

Address correspondence to Michael R. Deschenes, PhD, Department of Kinesiology, The College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795. E-mail: mrdesc{at}wm.edu

Background. Physiological responses to exercise of moderate intensity and duration among aged compared to young adults have yet to be clearly defined. Further, the effects of aging on the rate and effectiveness of postexercise recovery are unknown.

Methods. Here, selected physiological responses during and following exercise of the same relative intensity were examined in untrained young and aged men.

Results. Generally, the two groups displayed similar responses during 30 minutes of exercise. During recovery, however, numerous age-related differences were manifested. Relative heart rate (% peak) was higher during recovery among the aged group. Postexercise lactate remained increased longer among aged men, and blood glucose regulation was impaired during recovery. This difference in circulating glucose was associated with insulin responses whereby young, but not aged men experienced a postexercise spike. Unlike that in young men, rectal temperature among aged men continued to increase through the entire recovery period.

Conclusions. These data suggest that aged men encounter problems in recovering from submaximal exercise.