Effects of gender, age, and fitness level on response of V{O(2max)) to training in 60-71 yr olds

The adaptive response of maximal aerobic power (V{O(2max))) to endurance exercise training was compared in 53 men and 57 women, aged 60-71 yr. The subjects were healthy and had been sedentary for at least 2 yr. Pretraining V{O(2max)) was measured during graded treadmill walking on two occasions. These values were reproducible (24.4 ± 4.7 vs. 24.4 ± 4.6 (SD) ml · min^{- 1} · kg^-1; r = 0.96). Subjects trained primarily by walking and running for 9-12 mo, averaging 3.9 ± 0.6 days/wk and 45 ± 5 min/day at 80 ± 5% of maximal heart rate (HR(max)). Average improvement in V{O(2max)) (ml · min^{- 1} · kg^-1) was 24 ± 12% (range 0-58%). Relative improvement was not significantly different in men and women (26 ± 12 vs. 23 ± 12%, ml · min^{- 1} · kg^-1; 21 ± 10 vs. 19 ± 10%, 1/min). When subjects were divided into three groups by age (60-62, 63-66, 67-71 yr), there were no significant differences among the groups in the relative increase in V{O(2max)) (21% vs. 19% vs. 18%, l/min). Correlation analysis also yielded a nonsignificant relationship between improvement and age (r = -0.13). To examine the effect of initial fitness level on the adaptive response to exercise, pretraining V̇(2max) was correlated with the absolute improvement in V{O(2max)). This relationship was not significant in either men (r = 0.04) or women (r = - 0.23). In conclusion, in healthy people aged 60-71 yr, V{O(2max)) adapts to endurance exercise training to the same relative extent as in young people, and this adaptation is independent of gender, age, and initial level of fitness.