The primary purpose of this narrative review was to evaluate the current literature and to provide further insight into the role physical inactivity plays in the development of chronic disease and premature death. We confirm that there is irrefutable evidence of the effectiveness of regular physical activity in the primary and secondary prevention of several chronic diseases (e.g., cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, obesity, depression and osteoporosis) and premature death. We also reveal that the current Health Canada physical activity guidelines are sufficient to elicit health benefits, especially in previously sedentary people. There appears to be a linear relation between physical activity and health status, such that a further increase in physical activity and fitness will lead to additional improvements in health status.

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Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence

Much of the previous research into understanding fatigue during prolonged cycling has found that cycling performance may be limited by numerous physiological, biomechanical, environmental, mechanical and psychological factors. From over 2000 manuscripts addressing the topic of fatigue, a number of diverse cause-and-effect models have been developed. These include the following models: (i) cardiovascular/anaerobic; (ii) energy supply/energy depletion; (iii) neuromuscular fatigue; (iv) muscle trauma; (v) biomechanical; (vi) thermoregulatory; (vii) psychological/motivational; and (viii) central governor. More recently, however, a complex systems model of fatigue has been proposed, whereby these aforementioned linear models provide afferent feedback that is integrated by a central governor into our unconscious perception of fatigue. This review outlines the more conventional linear models of fatigue and addresses specifically how these may influence the development of fatigue during cycling. The review concludes by showing how these linear models of fatigue might be integrated into a more recently proposed nonlinear complex systems model of exercise-induced fatigue.

Models to Explain Fatigue during Prolonged Endurance Cycling

The present review addresses mechanisms of importance for hyperthermia-induced fatigue during short intense activities and prolonged exercise in the heat. Inferior performance during physical activities with intensities that elicit maximal oxygen uptake is to a large extent related to perturbation of the cardiovascular function, which eventually reduces arterial oxygen delivery to the exercising muscles. Accordingly, aerobic energy turnover is impaired and anaerobic metabolism provokes peripheral fatigue. In contrast, metabolic disturbances of muscle homeostasis are less important during prolonged exercise in the heat, because increased oxygen extraction compensates for the reduction in systemic blood flow. The decrease in endurance seems to involve changes in the function of the central nervous system (CNS) that lead to fatigue. The CNS fatigue appears to be influenced by neurotransmitter activity of the dopaminergic system, but may primarily relate to inhibitory signals from the hypothalamus arising secondary to an increase in brain temperature. Fatigue is an integrated phenomenon, and psychological factors, including the anticipation of fatigue, should not be neglected and the interaction between central and peripheral physiological factors also needs to be considered.

Hyperthermia and fatigue

The maximal oxygen uptake (V-dotO(2max)) is considered an important physiological determinant of middle- and long-distance running performance. Little information exists in the scientific literature relating to the most effective training intensity for the enhancement of V-dotO(2max) in well trained distance runners. Training intensities of 40-50% V-dotO(2max) can increase V-dotO(2max) substantially in untrained individuals. The minimum training intensity that elicits the enhancement of V-dotO(2max) is highly dependent on the initial V-dotO(2max), however, and well trained distance runners probably need to train at relative high percentages of V-dotO(2max) to elicit further increments. Some authors have suggested that training at 70-80% V-dotO(2max) is optimal. Many studies have investigated the maximum amount of time runners can maintain 95-100% V-dotO(2max) with the assertion that this intensity is optimal in enhancing V-dotO(2max). Presently, there have been no well controlled training studies to support this premise. Myocardial morphological changes that increase maximal stroke volume, increased capillarisation of skeletal muscle, increased myoglobin concentration, and increased oxidative capacity of type II skeletal muscle fibres are adaptations associated with the enhancement of V-dotO(2max). The strength of stimuli that elicit adaptation is exercise intensity dependent up to V-dotO(2max), indicating that training at or near V-dotO(2max) may be the most effective intensity to enhance V-dotO(2max) in well trained distance runners. Lower training intensities may induce similar adaptation because the physiological stress can be imposed for longer periods. This is probably only true for moderately trained runners, however, because all cardiorespiratory adaptations elicited by submaximal training have probably already been elicited in distance runners competing at a relatively high level.Well trained distance runners have been reported to reach a plateau in V-dotO(2max) enhancement; however, many studies have demonstrated that the V-dotO(2max) of well trained runners can be enhanced when training protocols known to elicit 95-100% V-dotO(2max) are included in their training programmes. This supports the premise that high-intensity training may be effective or even necessary for well trained distance runners to enhance V-dotO(2max). However, the efficacy of optimised protocols for enhancing V-dotO(2max) needs to be established with well controlled studies in which they are compared with protocols involving other training intensities typically used by distance runners to enhance V-dotO(2max).

Is there an optimal training intensity for enhancing the maximal oxygen uptake of distance runners?: empirical research findings, current opinions, physiological rationale and practical recommendations.

Effect of post-exercise sauna bathing on the endurance performance of competitive male runners.

Induced hypervolemia, cardiac function, O2max, and performance of elite cyclists. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 31, No. 6, pp. 800-808, 1999.Objective:To determine whether plasma volume expansion (PVexp) in elite endurance-trained (ET) cyclists, who already possess both a high blood volume (

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Induced hypervolemia, cardiac function, VO2max, and performance of elite cyclists.