Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was utilized to gain insights into the kinetics of oxidative metabolism during exercise transitions. Ten untrained young men were tested on a cycle ergometer during transitions from unloaded pedaling to 5 min of constant-load exercise below (VT) the ventilatory threshold. Vastus lateralis oxygenation was determined by NIRS, and pulmonary O₂ uptake ( V̇o₂) was determined breath-by-breath. Changes in deoxygenated hemoglobin + myoglobin concentration {Δ[deoxy(Hb + Mb)]} were taken as a muscle oxygenation index. At the transition, Δ[deoxy(Hb + Mb)] was unmodified [time delay (TD)] for 8.9 ± 0.5 s at VT (both significantly different from 0) and then increased, following a monoexponential function [time constant (τ) = 8.5 ± 0.9 s for VT]. For >VT a slow component of Δ[deoxy(Hb + Mb)] on-kinetics was observed in 9 of 10 subjects after 75.0 ± 14.0 s of exercise. A significant correlation was described between the mean response time (MRT = TD + τ) of the primary component of Δ[deoxy(Hb + Mb)] on-kinetics and the τ of the primary component of the pulmonary V̇o₂ on-kinetics. The constant muscle oxygenation during the initial phase of the on-transition indicates a tight coupling between increases in O₂ delivery and O₂ utilization. The lack of a drop in muscle oxygenation at the transition suggests adequacy of O₂ availability in relation to needs.

Critical power (CP), respiratory compensation point (RCP), maximal lactate steady state (MLSS), and deoxyhemoglobin breakpoint ([HHb]BP) are alternative functional indices that are thought to demarcate the highest exercise intensity that can be tolerated for long durations. We tested the hypothesis that CP, RCP, MLSS, and [HHb]BP occur at the same metabolic intensity by examining the pulmonary oxygen uptake (V˙)O2p and power output (PO) associated with each "threshold." Twelve healthy men (mean ± SD age, 27 ± 3 yr) performed the following tests on a cycle ergometer: i) four to five exhaustive tests for determination of CP, ii) two to three 30-min constant-power trials for MLSS determination, and iii) a ramp incremental exercise test from which the V˙O2p and PO at RCP and [HHb]BP were determined. During each trial, breath-by-breath V˙O2p and ventilatory variables were measured with a metabolic cart and flowmeter turbine; near-infrared spectroscopy-derived [HHb] was monitored using a frequency domain multidistance system, and arterialized capillary blood lactate was sampled at regular intervals. There were no differences (P > 0.05) among the V˙O2p values associated with CP, RCP, MLSS, and [HHb]BP (CP, 3.29 ± 0.48; RCP, 3.34 ± 0.45; MLSS, 3.27 ± 0.44; [HHb]BP, 3.41 ± 0.46 L·min(-1)); however, the PO associated with RCP (262 ± 48 W) and [HHb]BP (273 ± 41 W) were greater (P < 0.05) than both CP (226 ± 45 W) and MLSS (223 ± 39 W), which, themselves, were not different (P > 0.05). Although the standard methods for determination of CP, RCP, MLSS, and [HHb]BP are different, these indices occur at the same V˙O2p, suggesting that i) they may manifest as a result of similar physiological phenomenon and ii) each provides a valid delineation between tolerable and intolerable constant-power exercise.

Near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)‐derived measures of tissue oxygen saturation (StO₂) have been recently shown to significantly correlate with the widely used method for noninvasively assessing vascular endothelial function, flow‐mediated dilation (FMD). The purpose of this study was to examine the intraday and interday reliability of the reperfusion slope of StO₂ (slope 2 StO₂) and compare it to FMD. Ultrasound‐derived FMD was quantified following 5 min of distal cuff occlusion of the popliteal artery in nine healthy young men (26 ± 3 years). An FMD test was performed each of 4 days, with a fifth involving three tests. FMD was calculated as the greatest percent change in diameter from baseline (%FMD). StO₂ was measured using NIRS throughout each test, with slope 2 StO₂ being calculated as the upslope of 10‐sec following cuff release. Reliability was determined using repeatability, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), and coefficient of variation (CV). Repeatability of slope 2 StO₂ was better than %FMD for both intraday (0.43 and 5.65, respectively) and interday (0.48 and 4.82, respectively) comparisons; approximately 30% of mean values for slope 2 StO₂ could be attributed to measurement error, whereas 100% of mean FMD could be for both intraday and interday comparisons. Similarly, ICC and CV values indicated stronger reliability of slope 2 StO₂ compared to %FMD for both intraday (ICC 0.92 and 0.36, respectively; CV 9 ± 4% and 44 ± 24%, respectively) and interday (ICC 0.94 and 0.25, respectively; CV 14 ± 5% and 40 ± 22%, respectively) comparisons. In conclusion, NIRS‐derived slope 2 StO₂ can be used as a reliable measure of vascular reactivity.