An obsession with CO2This paper is a summary from the John Sutton Memorial Lecture at the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology Annual Meeting, held in London, Ont., 1417 November 2007.

The concept that underlies this paper is that carbon dioxide (CO2) removal is at least as important as the delivery of oxygen for maximum performance during exercise. Increases in CO2 pressure and reductions in the pH of muscle influence muscle contractile properties and muscle metabolism (via effects on rate-limiting enzymes), and contribute to limiting symptoms. The approach of Barcroft exemplified the importance of integrative physiology, in …