What is Measured in the Metabolic Rate Assessments..
Aerobic Health
This metric represents your ability to exercise at high intensities. Aerobic health is one of the best indicators of overall health and best predictors for developing cardiovascular disease. The value of this metric is based on VO2peak – the maximum amount of oxygen you can use per kilogram per minute – achieve during your test.A sedentary lifestyle, lack of cardiovascular exercise or excessive weight training will lower this score. Cardio and interval training will improve the score of this metric.
Aerobic Capacity
Aerobic Capacity is one of the best predictors of overall wellness since a high oxygen absorption or VO2 peak requires effective operation of all critical organs, namely lungs, heart, cells, and blood. Therefore Aerobic Health provides one of the most holistic pictures of every system essential to a long life and athletic performance.
Cardiovascular Fitness
This metric represents your cardiovascular systems (heart, blood vessels and blood) ability to deliver oxygen to your muscles and will indicate if this system poses a limitation to your ability to exercise and function. The value of this metric is based upon your VO2peak score in comparison with others the same gender and age, as well as the trendline of your VO2pulse (the amount of oxygen used per beat of the heart (VO2/HR) as intensity increases). A low VO2peak in combination with a decline in your VO2pulse during your test will reduce your cardiovascular score. A sedentary lifestyle and a lack of cardiovascular training or excessive weight training will lower your cardiovascular score whereas low intensity cardio and interval training will improve it
High Intensity Performance
It’s a gauge of how well your lungs and heart perform at high exercise intensities.
Recovery Capacity
This metric represents your ability to recover from high intensity exercise. Your recovery score is based upon two variables:
Cardiovascular recovery - The percentage your heartrate (HR) drops in the first one minute of the inactive recovery phase of the exercise protocol in relation to your base HR (your average HR during warm up phase) and maximum HR (your highest HR during the test phase).
Metabolic Recovery - The percentage your VCO2 – the amount of CO2 you are breathing out - drops in the first two minutes of the inactive recovery phase of the exercise protocol in relation to your base VCO2 (your average VCO2 during warm up phase) and maximum VCO2 (your highest VCO2 during the test phase).
Your ability to recovery is directly related to your level of cardiorespiratory and metabolic fitness. A small decrease in HR in the first one minute and VCO2 in the first two minutes will result in a low recovery score. Cardio, interval training and respiratory training (if required) will improve this score.
Fat Burning Effeciency
It’s the gauge of your cells’ ability to use fat as a fuel source during exercise. Human cells burn fats and carbohydrates to release the energy they contain and power your body’s movement. The higher your Fatburning Efficiency, the more your cells will rely on fats as a fuel source. Fat-burning Efficiency is also one of the most vital indicators of good cellular condition.
Movement Economy
It’s a gauge of how many calories you burn during exercise. In other words, it demonstrates whether your body burns more or fewer calories when moving than predicted based on your gender and age.
Metabolic Rate
It’s a gauge of how fast or slow your metabolism is. In other words, whether your body is burning more or fewer calories than what’s predicted based on your weight, gender, age, and height
Metabolic Fitness
It’s a gauge of how well your body converts nutrients (e.g., fats and carbohydrates) into the energy it needs to move and sustain its vital functions (e.g., brain, heart, and lung function)
Metabolic Efficiency (Low Intensity)
This metric represents the number of calories you burn during exercise at lower intensities and whether you are burning more or less calories than the average person of the same age, gender, and weight. This metric does not represent your resting metabolic rate (RMR). PNOĒ can provide you with your RMR through a separate testing protocol.
The value of this metric is based on the calories burned recorded during the initial stages of the protocol. Caloric restriction, chronic dieting, decreased skeletal muscle mass and respiratory limitations are among the most common factors that reduce the value of this metric. Resistance training, changes to nutrition and limitation speci"c respiratory training can improve the score of this metric.
Metabolic Efficiency (High Intensity)
This metric represents how well you use oxygen at higher intensities. The value of this metric is based upon how well you use oxygen (VO2) per beat of heart (VO2/HR or VO2pulse) and per breath (VO2/BF). A reduced score indicates areas of inefficiency at higher intensities. You can improve your score through interval training at the intensities in which you demonstrate inefficiency.
Heart Fitness
It’s a gauge of your cardiovascular system’s fitness and a risk factor for heart-related conditions.
Lung Fitness
It’s a a gauge of your lungs’ condition and a risk factor for respiratory-related conditions.
Breathing and Cognition
This metric represents how your breathing frequencies are affecting the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in your blood/cells. A low level of CO2 (hypocapnia) due to breathing too quickly (hyperventilation) will lead to vasocontriction of the vessels in the brain resulting in less oxygen being available to your brain cells thereby affecting your cognition (the ability to think and react rapidly).
This score is based upon two metrics:
Your breathing frequency at different intensities during the test
The amount of carbon dioxide you exhale during the test
A high breathing frequency (hyperventilation) at one or more intensity level in combination with low CO2 levels being exhaled during the test will result in a lower score.
More than 10% of people chronically hyperventilate without knowing it and are reducing their cognitive capacity through incorrect breathing. Limitation specific respiratory training is the most effective way of improving this score.
Breathing and Posture
It’s a gauge of how your breathing affects posture, the likelihood of musculoskeletal injury, and lower back pain.
Respiratory Capacity and Respiratory Capability
This metric represents your respiratory systems (lungs, respiratory muscles, and thoracic and rib mobility) ability to effectively provide oxygen and remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from your muscles and will indicate if this system poses a limitation to your ability to exercise and function. The value of this metric is based upon two metrics:
1. Respiratory capacity which is measured using two values assessed through spirometry
Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) - the maximum volume of air you can breathe out (after a maximal breath in) and represents the maximum usable volume of air your lungs can hold
Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1) - the volume of air you can expire in the first one second of the FVC test. Represents your expiratory power which is vital to moving air quickly at high intensities
2. Respiratory capability which is your ability to USE your capacity during exercise at all intensities based upon two values measured by the PNOĒ unit throughout your Fitness Test
Tidal Volume (VT)- The volume of air you move per breath
Breathing frequency (BF) - The frequency you breath per minute An inability to move an appropriate volume of air in and out of your lungs (FVC and FEV1) in comparison to others your age, height, gender and race will result in a lower Respiratory Capacity score.
An inability to use your capacity volumes and/or a tendency to breath too quickly will reduce your Respiratory Capability score.A sedentary lifestyle, history of asthma or exercise induced bronchospasm (EIB) or a lack of cardio or interval training will lower the score of this metric. Limitation specific respiratory training concentrating on volume, power, strength, endurance or coordination in conjunction with cardio and interval training is the most effective way to improve your score.
A sedentary lifestyle, history of asthma or exercise induced bronchospasm (EIB) or a lack of cardio or interval training will lower the score of this metric. Limitation speci"c respiratory training concentrating on volume, power, strength, endurance or coordination in conjunction with cardio and interval training is the most effective way to improve your score
Expiratory Power
It’s a gauge of whether your lungs have the strength to fully contract during exhalation
Respiratory Cordination
It’s a gauge of whether your breathing follows a healthy pattern that does not negatively impact your posture, cognitive brain function, or muscle oxygenation.
Breathing and Stability
This metric represents how your respiratory volumes are affecting your spinal stability, limb power and posture. Your score is based upon your tidal volumes (Vt) or the volume of air you breath per breathe throughout your test.
Breathing a low volume of air each breath during the test will lead to decreased spinal stability thereby affecting your ability to develop power at your limbs and ability to maintain an upright posture.
A low Vt in relation to your respiratory capacity (FEV1) will result in a lower score.A low Vt (along with hyperventilation) is a predictor of musculoskeletal dysfunctions such as lower back pain. Limitation specific respiratory training is the most effective way to improve the score of this metric.
Breathing & Mobility
This metric describes the extent to which breathing affects strength, posture, and the likelihood of developing mobility problems. A high breathing frequency at the onset of exercise in combination with low CO2 levels during exhalation are a sign of hyperventilation. Apart from impacting cognitive capacity, hyperventilation also causes loss of abdominal pressure which leads to loss of support in the lower back. Hyperventilation is the strongest predictor of myoskeletal problems such as lower back pain. Breathing training during exercise and resting conditions is the most effective method to improve the score of this metric.
Recovery Capacity
This metric represents your ability to recover from high intensity exercise. Your recovery score is based upon two variables:
Cardiovascular recovery - The percentage your heartrate (HR) drops in the first one minute of the inactive recovery phase of the exercise protocol in relation to your base HR (your average HR during warm up phase) and maximum HR (your highest HR during the test phase).
Metabolic Recovery - The percentage your VCO2 – the amount of CO2 you are breathing out - drops in the first two minutes of the inactive recovery phase of the exercise protocol in relation to your base VCO2 (your average VCO2 during warm up phase) and maximum VCO2 (your highest VCO2 during the test phase).
Your ability to recovery is directly related to your level of cardiorespiratory and metabolic fitness. A small decrease in HR in the first one minute and VCO2 in the first two minutes will result in a low recovery score. Cardio, interval training and respiratory training (if required) will improve this score.
Advanced Analysis
Below is a list of optional parameters available through a comprehensive platform to produce reports for further analysis:
VO2 - Or VO2 Max, refers to the maximum amount of oxygen you can utilise during exercise
VC02 - Refers to the volume of exhaled carbon dioxide
RER - Refers to the respiratory exchange ratio. The RER is the ratio between the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced in metabolism and oxygen (O2) used'
HR[bpm] - Heart Rate at beats per minute
Total Cal [Kcal/min] - The total number of Kilocalories per minute
CHO [Kcal/min] - Fuel sources - Carbohydrates per minute
Fat [Kcal/min] - Fuel sources - Fats per minute
VE/VO2 - Refers to the number of litres of ventilation per lite of Oxygen consumed
VE/VCO2 - Refers to the number of litres of ventilation and Carbon Dioxide production
Watts - Used for certain Ramp Test protocols, Watts measure the rate of energy conversion defined as 1 joule per second.
Speed - Used for certain Ramp Test protocols, Speed can be measured in either KMs of Mph
VT - Or Tidal Volume (TV) the amount of air breathed in with normal breath
BF - Breathing Frequency or Respiration Rate
VE - Ventilation (Tidal volumne)
FIO2 - Fraction of Inspired Oxygen FI02 the concentration of oxygen in the mix
FCO2 - Fractional Concentration of Inspired CO2 (Carbon dioxide)