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Improved, Simplified Method for Detection of Respiratory Compensation

The respiratory compensation point (RCP) has been studied for decades as a marker during graded exercise tests due to its strong relation to performance and its critical role in polarized training schemes for athletes. In practice, the RCP is visual confirmation that hyperventilation occurs during high intensity exercise - an important concept in applied and exercise physiology. However, currently available methods of determining RCP rely on visual examination of measured changes in multiple variables (VO2, VCO2, Ve and PETCO2), and these methods are as much an art as a science and ultimately subjective. Fortunately, researchers at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette) have invented a simplified, automated, mathematical method for determination of the RCP. This novel method also eliminates the need for expired carbon dioxide data. In one embodiment, this automated method can empower a small device to assess RCP in real-time and provide health professionals and athletes a competitive edge in performance training.