Research

Thesis title: "Long-term development of oxygen consumption and mitochondrial capacity in trained and untrained adolescents"

Thesis outline: The oxidative metabolism is the primary source of energy during daily life locomotion and in many endurance sports (e.g. cycling, running). Therefore, the energy flux generated by oxidative mechanisms is directly linked to exercise performance in endurance sports, and to quality of life in humans. Certain parameters of aerobic fitness (e.g. VO2max, GET) together with pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics and muscle deoxygenation measurements have been previously used to estimate the capacity of muscle oxidative metabolism non-invasively. In this regard, it is not surprising that these areas of interest have been extensively studied in trained and untrained adults. However, research investigating long-term alterations in oxidative metabolism and their associated mechanistic basis in a population of endurance trained and untrained youth is sparse.
Thus, the main aims of this thesis are the monitoring of long-term alterations in aerobic fitness, pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics and muscule deoxygenation in endurance-trained and untrained adolescents within a period of ~3 years.

Funding: "Gesellschaft für Forschungsförderung Niederösterreich m.b.H." (Project-ID: SC18-014)

Supervisor/Co-Mentor: Alfred Nimmerichter


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