Effect of stair-climbing exercise on physiological and metabolic responses in middle-aged men

In order to investigate the effect of stair climbing exercise on physiological and metabolic responses in middle aged men, the systolic blood pressure(SBP), heart rate(HR), oxygen uptake (VO₂), plasma catecholamine, and energy substrates were examined in eight healthy men aged from 12 to 57 years. After overnight fasting, the subjects carried nut the stair climbing exercise on a motor driven escalator at the speed of 20m/min (LS) and 30m/min (HS) for 10 minutes. The SBP, HR, and VO₂ were measured before, during, and after the exercise. Blood sampled before and immediately after exercise was assayed for plasma noradrenaline(NA), adrenaline (A), glucose, serum free fatty acid, and blood lactate. Peak values of SBP ranged from 189 to 225 mmHg in LS trial and from 190 to 243 mmHg in HS trial among the subjects. Peak values ranged from 62.5 to 82.3% HRmax anti from 85.1 to 100% HRmax in HR, 53.8 to 79.6% VO₂ max and 58.6 to 100% VO₂ max in VO₂ in each trial among the subjects. Plasma NA and A were significantly increased flue to LS anti HS trials blood lactate was significantly increased in both trials and the value exceeded 4 mM only in HS trial. Plasma glucose was significantly decreased due to LS trial. These results suggest that stair climbing exercise at 20 m/min contributes to the improvement of cardiorespiratory fitness without causing high blood pressure in middle-aged men.