A-VO2 Diff

Question 1

What does A-VO2 diff stand for?

Answer 1

Arterio-Venus Oxygen difference.

Question 2

Define A-VO2 diff

Answer 2

• A-VO2 diff is the difference between the oxygen content of the arterial blood arriving at the muscles and the venous blood leaving the muscles.

Question 3

What is A-VO2 diff measured in?

Answer 3

• Millilitres of oxygen per 100 millilitres of blood (ml/100ml).

Question 4

What happens to A-VO2 diff during exercise?

Answer 4

1. During exercise A-VO2 diff increases.
2. This is because the muscles require more oxygen.
3. This oxygen will then be used to resynthesise ATP through the aerobic system in order to maintain aerobic respiration.

Question 5

The affects of long term aerobic training on A-VO2 diff

Answer 5

• After a long term period of aerobic training the bodies ability to extract more oxygen from the blood increases.
• This leads to an increase in A-VO2 diff whilst exercising.
• This is due to many physiological changes.

Question 6

What are the physiological changes?

Answer 6

1. Increased capillarisation.
2. Increased myoglobin levels.