Ever wondered by people living up in mountains tend to be fit, healthy, live longer lives and have greater lung capacity? Populations living and exercising at higher altitudes tend to get more out of their workouts thanks to the oxygen makeup of the air.
Now, you can enjoy the rewards of training at altitude without having to journey high up into the mountains. As a leading gym in WA, Surge Fitness is proud to bring the benefits of simulated altitude training to our members. Mimicking the effects of training high up in the mountains — where oxygen is less compared to sea level — you can accelerate fat loss, achieve your fitness goals faster and take your workouts to the next level.
You can even train to reduce acclimatisation time before a high altitude expedition. Simulated altitude training is designed to mimic the effects of training at high altitudes with less oxygen in the air.
While sea level air contains around However, recent data presented by Hauser et al. Therefore, it seems that even elite athletes with higher initial tHb mass can expect tHb mass improvement after LH-TL.
This observation is supported by findings presented in studies by Millet et al. Another question concerns the possibility of different physiological responses between hypobaric and normobaric hypoxia. Opinions are still divided Millet et al. Interesting results were obtained by Saugy and colleagues during a two-stage project.
The first stage Saugy et al. The same experiment was repeated, but using a crossover study and reduction of the possible group effect, and indicated that the post-LH-TL hematological responses and performance improvements were similar for hypobaric and normobaric stimuli Saugy et al. However, the small number of previous studies comparing hypobaric and normobaric hypoxia does not allow us to state clearly whether the type of hypoxia significantly affects the difference in hematological responses after altitude training.
It should be noted that the blood volume BV adjustments during acclimatization to altitude have two phases. In the early phase, which begins within hours of altitude exposure and lasts for the first 3—4 weeks, plasma volume PV decreases, causing hemoconcentration. One of the mechanisms leading to a reduction in PV at altitude is dehydration associated with increased respiratory water loss due to enhanced ventilation and increased urinary water loss observed at altitudes Sawka et al.
In this first phase of acclimatization, PV is decreased while erythrocyte volume remains stable, resulting in increased [Hb] and reduced BV. During the second phase of acclimatization, as a result of continuous exposure to altitude for several weeks or months, erythrocyte volume increases. This phase can be accelerated by an intensive program of aerobic training at high altitudes Sawka et al. Changes in BV during and after hypoxic exposure can cause errors in interpretation of research results and evaluation of the actual effects of altitude training may be impeded.
Hemoconcentration may explain the increase in hematological variables, especially in the early days of altitude training. It is also likely that differences in EPO levels following hypoxic exposure partly result from the decrease in PV rather than from significant diversity of EPO production.
Monitoring of urine specific gravity during altitude training is essential to eliminate the hydration effect on EPO values. If this condition is not met, it may turn out that the variability range of EPO level, especially after hypoxic exposure for over 12 h, may differ from the actual variability in EPO production. Due to the individual variability of EPO production and many factors affecting the hypoxia response, identification of responders and non-responders among athletes prior to altitude training seems to be useful in optimizing the training process.
As suggested by Chapman et al. In studies conducted by Friedmann et al. These findings indicate that short hypoxic exposure can be used to identify athletes who respond to altitude training.
Based on the results of previous research Figure 2 , it can be assumed that the EPO level after 24 h of exposure to moderate altitude should be at least doubled in relation to baseline.
However, as we observed on the basis of the reviewed studies, even a significant increase in EPO level during altitude training does not guarantee improvement of hematological variables after the return to sea level see Table 1.
This observation is in line with previous reports in which correlations were not found between the EPO levels following exposure to altitude and tHb mass Rusko et al. Therefore, it is doubtful whether the improvements of hematological variables after altitude training can be predicted using the EPO response to acute hypoxic exposure. Determining efficacious methods to identify better and worse responders prior to altitude training remains a topic for further research.
Regardless of attempts to find an effective tool for identification of responders and non-responders prior to altitude training, daily measurement of SpO 2 at rest during altitude training may by a useful and inexpensive method to analyze the hematological response to chronic hypoxia. Millet et al. It is known that the increase in EPO levels is directly proportional to the level of hypoxia and decline in SpO 2 Eckardt et al.
In our recent study Czuba et al. Consequently, the effect of hypoxia on blood EPO levels became weaker with increasing acclimation, which was caused by the improvement in blood oxygen-carrying capacity. Since the desaturation level depends not only on altitude but is highly individualized and also dependent on the training background of athletes or previous altitude experiences Chapman et al.
Despite the knowledge developed over the years, EPO still remains the subject of researchers' interest. As noted by Lundby , new discoveries in recent years have appeared in the field of the functions and synthesis of EPO. However, in the context of altitude training, what seems to be the most important is that the elevated EPO production by the kidneys in hypoxia is a key factor enabling subsequent improvement of hematological variables. However, even a significant increase in EPO level during altitude training does not guarantee improvement of hematological variables after the return to sea level.
The most recent publications reviewed show that the effectiveness of altitude training depends on many variables. The hypoxic dose should be at least h at an altitude of 2, to 2, m Rusko et al. The measurement of SpO 2 during altitude training will allow measurement of the time the athlete has spent at a given saturation level.
EPO production, like many other factors associated with the response to altitude, may be genetically determined, but further research is needed to identify the genetic determinants of the hypoxic response.
All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript. All authors made a significant contribution to this study. This study has been conducted in the framework of the grant awarded by the National Science Centre of Poland, No. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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The results: two runners got faster after both blocks; two runners got slower after both blocks; and the other four runners got faster after one block and slower after the other block. The problem with the debate is that the two sides are basically arguing past each other. Millet and Brocherie believe that, even if the data is imperfect, it overwhelmingly points to a benefit from altitude training.
But I have a hard time disregarding the nearly unanimous verdict of elite endurance athletes around the world. Without presuming to pronounce a final verdict, I guess my thinking for the moment is something like this: altitude training works. The theory is sound, and lots of people swear by it. But actually getting the numbers to line up for an individual athlete is far trickier than most people realize, and the illusion of success is probably helped by a bunch of other benefits that training camps provide.
So if you get a chance to spend a month training in Flagstaff or St. When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we may earn a small commission. Outside does not accept money for editorial gear reviews. Read more about our policy. Search Search.
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