Anemia causes a relative decrease in blood lactate concentration during exercise.

The purpose of the present study was to examine to what degree a reduction in systemic oxygen transport capacity influences the absolute and relative levels (% of maximal oxygen uptake) of submaximal blood lactate accumulation. Anemia was induced by repeated venesections in eight healthy males. After 9-10 weeks of anemia, hemoglobin concentration [Hb] was restored by retransfusion of packed erythrocytes. The [Hb] values obtained were, before venesections, in control (C) = 145 +/- 10, in the anemic state (A) = 110 +/- 8, and after retransfusion (R) = 143 +/- 8 g X l-1 respectively. In all states, muscle biopsies were taken and measurements made of VO2max and VO2 at a running velocity corresponding to a blood lactate concentration of 4 mM (upsilon Hla 4.0). In the A condition Vo2max decreased by 19% as compared to C (P less than 0.01). upsilon Hla 4.0 was 14% lower in A as compared to C and R (p less than 0.01). VO2 at upsilon Hla 4.0 was 13% lower in A as compared to C (P less than 0.01). However, VO2 at upsilon Hla 4.0 expressed as a percentage of VO2max was increased (P less than 0.01) in the anemic state, the values obtained being C = 83.3%, A = 89.8% and R = 84.8%. Ventilation at upsilon Hla 4.0 was higher in A as compared to C and R (P less than 0.05). R and C values were not significantly different for any of the values presented above. The maximal activity of citrate synthase in muscle did not differ between the three different conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)