Roy, J. L., Hunter, G. R., McCarthy, J. P., Larson-Meyer, D. E., Newcomer, B. R., & Weinsier, R. L. (2003). Muscle and cardiovascular differences explain ethnic differences in VO2max. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 35(5), Supplement abstract 1258.

African American (AA) women have a lower VO2max than Caucasian (CA) women. This study attempted to explain that difference. AA (N = 43) and CA (N = 46) sedentary premenopausal women performed a number of treadmill activities and muscle chemistry and structure analyses.

It was found that AA women have reduced VO2max because of reduced mitochondrial and capillarization function, lower oxygen carrying capacity in the blood, and elevated submaximal heart rates. Those factors indicate a lessened stroke volume which account for most of the racial differences in VO2max.

Implication. Blood and muscle factors account for racial differences in VO2max in women.

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