Boulder resident Silvio Guerre, a native of Ecuador who finished second in the last two Boston Marathons, recently scored the highest fitness level of anyone ever tested at CU-Boulder's kinesiology and applied physiology department.
The physiological test was conducted at the Human Cardiovascular Research Laboratory on campus on April 8. Guerre is among the favorites to win the 106th Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15.Ìý
The physiological tests consisted of using a respiratory mass spectrometer to measure how much oxygen was transported to Guerre's muscles while he ran on a treadmill. The amount of carbon dioxide expelled from Guerre's body also was measured, said CU-Boulder research associate Gareth Jones of kinesiology and applied physiology, who conducted the tests.
Guerre's maximum oxygen uptake was rated 88.5 milliliters per kilogram per minute, said Jones. "This was the highest value we ever have measured in our lab," said Jones.Ìý
Jones speculated part of the reason might be genetic. Guerro's 65-year-old mother, who also was tested at the CU-Boulder lab with her son, is an accomplished distance runner. She was in Boulder to visit her son and travel with him to Boston to watch him in the marathon.
It is the link between physical fitness, cardiovascular disease prevention and successful aging that is of interest to researchers at the CU-Boulder Human Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, said Jones. Investigators at the lab have spent the past 10 years studying the positive effects of exercise on aging and the physiology of cardiovascular diseases.
Ongoing investigations are looking into the potential metabolic boosting effects of vitamin C as well as its favorable influence on cardiovascular function in men and women of all ages.
Studies also are under way in the CU-Boulder lab to assess the usefulness of different hormone replacement therapies and exercise on cardiovascular health in women, and the benefits of low sodium diets for people with early-stage hypertension.
All of these studies require healthy volunteers, both young and old. Those in the Denver-Boulder area who wish to participate in clinical research studies that may improve their cardiovascular health can call the lab at (303) 492-7702 or e-mail cvlab@spot.colorado.
Benefits from participation in the clinical studies include a physician- supervised exercise stress test and a nutritional assessment of one's daily diet. Participants also will be tested for body composition -- including bone density and body fat content -- and will have their blood cholesterol concentration measured, according to the researchers.