CO2 and exercise tidal volume.

In progressive exercise increased tidal volume (VT) accompanies increased ventilation (VE) until a VT plateau is reached. We observed in 13 subjects a correspondence between the arrival of the VT plateau and the anaerobic threshold (AT). To examine this association between a mechanical event (the VT plateau) and a metabolic event (the AT), we changed those variables that change at the AT and looked for changes in VT. We found in 13 subjects that CO2 addition to prevent alveolar hypocapnia during cycle ergometer exercise progressing to exhaustion in 12-15 min significantly elevated the VT plateau (mean increase 4.4%; P less than 0.01) as compared with a spontaneous test that induced a mean end-tidal carbon dioxide tension fall of 5.5 Torr. This VT increase was mediated by a significant increase in inspiratory time (TI; P less than 0.02); both the ratio of TI to the total breath duration (TI/Ttot) and the mean rate of inspired airflow (VT/TI) were unchanged at matched VE. Changing other variables known to change at the AT--blood lactate ion concentration and alveolar oxygen tension--left ventilatory pattern unchanged. These results suggest that hypocapnia in severe exercise measurably lowers the VT plateau in normal man.