Lung capacity and alveolar gas diffusion in aquatic athletes: Implications for performance and health

The diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO) provides a measure gas transfer in the lungs. Endurance training does not increase lung volumes or land-based athletes. However swimmers have larger lungs and better than other matched athletes controls. aim this study was to evaluate pulmonary alveoli-capillary elite aquatic athletes, specifically swimmers, artistic water polo players. participants were 64 international level including 31 (11 female 20 male), 12 (only female), 21 players (10 11 male). single-breath method used DLCO parameters. main finding is that high clearly above their reference values, both females (33.4 ± 9.4 mL min−1·mmHg−1; 135%) males (48.0 5.83 148%). There no difference between (34.7 8.3 33.4 4.0 32.1 5.6 min−1·mmHg−1), but male had higher compared (50.4 5.3 43.4 7.0, p = 0.014). Aquatic percentage predicted by age height. Therefore, swimming-based sports could help improve function many different segments population.