In the recovery period after exercise there is an increase in oxygen uptake termed the ‘excess post-exercise oxygen consumption’ (EPOC), consisting of a rapid and a prolonged component. While some studies have shown that EPOC may last for several hours after exercise, others have concluded that EPOC is transient and minimal. The conflicting results may be resolved if differences in exercise intensity and duration are considered, since this may affect the metabolic processes underlying EPOC. Accordingly, the absence of a sustained EPOC after exercise seems to be a consistent finding in studies with low exercise intensity and/or duration. The magnitude of EPOC after aerobic exercise clearly depends on both the duration and intensity of exercise. A curvilinear relationship between the magnitude of EPOC and the intensity of the exercise bout has been found, whereas the relationship between exercise duration and EPOC magnitude appears to be more linear, especially at higher intensities. Differences in exercise mode may potentially contribute to the discrepant findings of EPOC magnitude and duration. Studies with sufficient exercise challenges are needed to determine whether various aerobic exercise modes affect EPOC differently. The relationships between the intensity and duration of resistance exercise and the magnitude and duration of EPOC have not been determined, but a more prolonged and substantial EPOC has been found after hardversus moderate-resistance exercise. Thus, the intensity of resistance exercise seems to be of importance for EPOC. Lastly, training status and sex may also potentially influence EPOC magnitude, but this may be problematic to determine. Still, it appears that trained individuals have a more rapid return of post-exercise metabolism to resting levels after exercising at either the same relative or absolute work rate; however, studies after more strenuous exercise bouts are needed. It is not determined if there is a sex effect on EPOC. Finally, while some of the mechanisms underlying the more rapid EPOC are well known (replenishment of oxygen stores, adenosine triphosphate/creatine phosphate resynthesis, lactate removal, and increased body temperature, circulation and ventilation), less is known about the mechanisms underlying the prolonged EPOC component. A sustained increased circulation, ventilation and body temperature may contribute, but the cost of this is low. An increased rate of triglyceride/fatty acid cycling and a shift from carbohydrate to fat as substrate source are of importance for the prolonged EPOC component after exhaustive aerobic exercise. Little is known about the mechanisms underlying EPOC after resistance exercise.

Effect of exercise intensity, duration and mode on post-exercise oxygen consumption.

This review provides clinicians with a comprehensive overview of indirect calorimetry including the principles, methodology, technologic advancements, benefits, and challenges. Clinical applications for indirect calorimetry and the potential limitations are specifically addressed for both the inpatient and outpatient setting. Measurement of energy expenditure is the most accurate method to assess energy needs. Indirect calorimetry remains a gold standard in measuring energy expenditure in the clinical settings. The benefits of providing optimal nutrition for recovery from illness and chronic health management are well documented. Indirect calorimetry offers a scientifically-based approach to customize a patient's energy needs and nutrient delivery to maximize the benefits of nutrition therapy. With recent advances in technology, indirect calorimeters are easier to operate, more portable, and affordable. Increased utilization of indirect calorimetry would facilitate individualized patient care and should lead to improved treatment outcomes.

Indirect calorimetry: a practical guide for clinicians.

Recovery from a bout of exercise is associated with an elevation in metabolism referred to as the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). A number of investigators in the first half of the last century reported prolonged EPOC durations and that the EPOC was a major component of the thermic effect of activity. It was therefore thought that the EPOC was a major contributor to total daily energy expenditure and hence the maintenance of body mass. Investigations conducted over the last two or three decades have improved the experimental protocols used in the pioneering studies and therefore have more accurately characterized the EPOC. Evidence has accumulated to suggest an exponential relationship between exercise intensity and the magnitude of the EPOC for specific exercise durations. Furthermore, work at exercise intensities ≥50 – 60% [Vdot]O2max stimulate a linear increase in EPOC as exercise duration increases. The existence of these relationships with resistance exercise at this stage re...

Effects of exercise intensity and duration on the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption

Short, Kevin R., and Darlene A. Sedlock. Excess postexercise oxygen consumption and recovery rate in trained and untrained subjects. J. Appl. Physiol.83(1): 153–159, 1997.—The purpose of this study...

Excess postexercise oxygen consumption and recovery rate in trained and untrained subjects

Anaerobic capacity is defined as the maximal amount of adenosine triphosphate resynthesised via anaerobic metabolism (by the whole organism) during a specific mode of short-duration maximal exercise. This review focuses on laboratory measures which attempt to quantify anaerobic capacity; it examines the evidence supporting or challenging the validity of these measures and provides research foci for future investigations. Discussion focuses on anaerobic capacity measured during running and cycling, since almost all data reviewed were collected using these exercise modes.

Measurement of Anaerobic Work Capacities in Humans

This study was designed to determine the effect of duration (30, 45, 60 min) of exercise at 70% VO2 max on oxygen consumption during the exercise and post-exercise periods and if the post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) is related to elevated tympanic temperature. Two male and three female volunteer subjects cycled at 70% VO2 max for 30, 45 and 60 min. The EPOC increased 2.35 and 5.3 fold when exercise duration was increased from 30 to 45 min and from 30 to 60 min respectively. The time for VO2 to return to resting levels following exercise was 128 +/- 4.4 min, 204 +/- 15.9 min and 455 +/- 30.0 min after the 30, 45 and 60 min exercise bouts. Tympanic temperatures were stable at 38.6 degrees C after approximately 30 min of exercise, but all had fallen to resting conditions approximately two hours post-exercise. The correlation between core temperature and EPOC, and RER and EPOC, was r = 0.64-0.75 and r = 0.86-0.89, respectively. These data emphasize the importance of extending the work time for elevating the energy cost during and post-exercise, and suggest that the EPOC can be explained in part by the effects of elevated temperature and metabolic substrate.

Wenger Ha

Papers

The Effect of Exercise Duration on the Exercise and Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption