[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109700010548[/URL]
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Mechanisms
The mechanism underlying the age-related reduction in HRmax is not clear. It has been postulated that the primary mechanism is related to an age-related decline in intrinsic heart rate (i.e., independent of autonomic influences) 14, 15. In this context, it is interesting to note that the rate of decline in HRmax observed in the present study is very similar to that reported previously for intrinsic heart rate determined after cardiac autonomic blockade (−0.6 − 0.8 beats/min per year) 14, 15. Moreover, consistent with the present findings, gender (14)and habitual physical activity (16)do not appear to influence intrinsic heart rate in humans. These results collectively suggest that a decrease in HRmaxwith age may primarily be due to the reduction in intrinsic heart rate.
Conclusions
The results of the present study fail to validate the traditional equation for predicting HRmax across the adult age range in healthy humans. Specifically, the traditional equation underestimates HRmaxpast age 40 years, markedly so in older adults. On the basis of the cross-confirmatory findings of our meta-analysis and complementary prospective study, we present a new equation for future use that should provide more precise results. These findings have important clinical implications related to exercise testing and prescription.
[URL unfurl="true"]https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11357-021-00420-3[/URL]
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