If you ever wanted to run faster, cycle longer or simply improve your health; you may have stumbled across the idea of metabolic testing. The concept might sound a little scientific and you might wonder what exactly are these assessments and how is the data they generate used? One way is by giving athletes insight on how to properly fuel their bodies for each and every workout.
"Alright, in three, two, one and go!” shouted Derek Ferley to kick off the physical and metabolic screening test known as a VO2 Max. This VO2Max is just one of the leading indicators of longevity and performance in individual athletes. The test is comprised of a specialized facemask that captures the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels created during a workout. Today, it’s John Sutton on the treadmill.
“I’m just trying to be more intentional about my fitness and a little more consistent,” laughed Sutton prior to the screening test. “So I thought it'd be interesting just to see where I am and see if I can possibly improve a little bit.”
Sutton completed a baseline VO2 Max test a little over three years ago, but confessed he didn’t do much with the results and is hoping to be a little more intentional with the data and information he gets this go-round.
Tracking Oxygen Consumption
“When we're assessing somebody's VO2Max, essentially you're assessing how much oxygen can they take in when they're at their maximum effort of exercise,” said Ferley, sports science and research director at the Avera Human Performance Center in Sioux Falls. "I'm watching in real time and I can gauge their levels as they're breathing in through that mask."
"If you're not used to pushing yourself kind of to the end of your range, it's a little intimidating, but after I knew what to expect, it was fine going hard!" said Sutton.
Each stage of the test is somewhere between two and three minutes with athletes pushing themselves further and faster with each passing stage. After each stage, there's a 30-second pause during which the athlete gives a blood drop to determine what their blood lactate levels are.
"Because once you get beyond your lactate threshold, you're really calling into all of your anaerobic and aerobic capabilities, which means you're really at a reduced time and effort in terms of how much more you can exercise," said Ferley.
The key component of the VO2 Max test is the K5 device, the actual machine that is capturing and recording the data.
What Fuels Do You Use?
"When we use the K5, it's a really great way to tell us how much your body is actually burning in calories. It also really tells us if your body tends to burn more carbohydrates during workout or fat during a workout," said Anna Heronimus, a registered dietitian and sports nutrition specialist with Avera Sports.
With the data in hand, experts can pinpoint the exact moment when your body switches from more carbon dioxide being produced than there is oxygen consumed. That same moment is when and where your body starts to burn more carbs than it does fat in a workout.
"That's a huge indicator," said Heronimus. "Having that information can then help us tailor a diet plan for you in terms of how long your workout's going to be, the intensity and the durability of that workout."
"If you know what your intensities are, then you can kind of have a backdoor way to figure out exactly what fuels that you're burning and then what fuels you need to replace, what fuels you need to consume during the course of a training program or just everyday life," said Ferley.
What the data often shows is that athletes are actually under-fueling their bodies for exercise. "We're trying to cut more calories. We are trying to not eat as much, " said Heronimus. "So if we're constantly under fueling to what our body needs just in general, we're not going to see those gains to where you want to be. You might lose a little weight, but you're probably more losing muscle mass and not gaining the lean muscle mass that you want to be doing."
For John, this screening test was just what he needed and is looking forward to the results.
"I knew what to expect, so I was able to push myself a little bit harder. I think at my age, if I can stay the same or improve a little bit, it'll probably be a win," said Sutton.
Just a few years ago, this sort of technology would have been more rare to find for the everyday athlete. Nowadays, it's very commonplace and there's information to be gleaned from specialized equipment and tests like this for athletes of all shapes and sizes. "Even those people who are just interested in longevity and health and wellness and where they are in their fitness journey, maybe relative to other people, their age and their fitness category," said Ferley.
Learn more about sports performance and athletic training at Avera.
