Applications of Maximum Fat Oxidation and FATmax in the evaluation of sports performance in endurance-athletes: a narrative review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v47.95197Keywords:
sports, exercise physiology, high sports performance, metabolism, physical trainingAbstract
The differential use of energy substrates (lipids and carbohydrates) during sports competitions has been proposed to determine sports performance. Therefore, this review has the objectives: (i) describe the association of maximum oxidation of fats (MFO) and its corresponding intensity (Fatmax) with indicators of sports performance in resistance athletes, (ii) report the Metabolic athlete phenotype belonging to different sports disciplines. Both FATmax and MFO have been studied in a few sports disciplines. Results: Fatmax and MFO are directly associated with each other; however, only the MFO was positively associated with the career time in triathlon athletes, professional skiers with a mischievous field, and ultramarathon runners. In these populations, the maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) positively correlates with the MFO, while age is inversely associated with MFO. Although the MFO reported in handball, volleyball, and basketball athletes (0.59±0.24 g∙min-1), as well as in professional players (0.69±0.15 g∙min-1), MFO is superior to the values observed in long-distance corridors and elite skiers. On the other hand, the MFO differs between athletes from different sports disciplines, being superior in long-distance corridors and professional skiers vs. cyclists (0.55±0.09 vs. 0.48±0.05 g∙min-1), despite similarities in the VO2max and fat-free mass. Conclusion: The relationship of the MFO and the Fatmax with sports performance varies according to age, sports discipline, and the sex of athletes, observing a particular metabolic phenotype for each sports discipline. Therefore, in addition to measuring the VO2max and the work intensity corresponding to the lactate threshold or second ventilatory threshold, it is recommended to incorporate the MFO and Fatmax in the physiological evaluations of the athletes to optimize their physical performance.
Keywords: sport, exercise physiology, high sports performance, metabolism, physical training.
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