Ammonia production following maximal exercise: treadmill vs. bicycle testing.

From a population of 20 healthy male volunteers, half performed constant speed, incremental load maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) tests on a motor-driven treadmill, while the other half performed similar VO2max tests on a bicycle ergometer. The two groups, matched for size and age, showed no significant differences in VO2max, maximum heart rate, or in post-exercise (4 min ) peripheral venous blood concentrations of lactete or pyruvate. However, post-exercise peripheral venous blood ammonia levels were significantly higher in the group tested on the bicycle ergometer than in the treadmill group.