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Bonato G, Goodman S, Tjh L. Physiological and performance effects of live high train low altitude training for elite endurance athletes: A narrative review. Curr Res Physiol 2023; 6:100113. [PMID: 38107789 PMCID: PMC10724230 DOI: 10.1016/j.crphys.2023.100113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Altitude training has become an important training application for athletes due its potential for altering physiology and enhancing performance. This practice is commonly used by athletes, with a popular choice being the live high - train low approach. This model recommends that athletes live at high altitude (1250-3000 m), but train at low altitude or sea-level (0-1200 m). Exposure to altitude often leads to hypoxic stress and in turn stimulates changes in total haemoglobin mass, erythropoietin, and soluble transferrin receptors, which alter further underlying physiology. Through enhanced physiology, improved exercise performance may arise through enhancement of the oxygen transport system which is important for endurance events. Previous investigations into the effects of altitude training on exercise performance have been completed in a range of contexts, including running, cycling, swimming, and triathlon. Often following a LHTL altitude intervention, athletes realise improvements in maximal oxygen consumption capacity, time trial performance and peak power outputs. Although heterogeneity exists among LHTL methodologies, i.e., exposure durations and altitude ranges, we synthesised this data into kilometre hours, and found that the most common hypoxic doses used in LHTL interventions ranged from ∼578-687 km h. As this narrative review demonstrates, there are potential advantages to using altitude training to enhance physiology and improve performance for endurance athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- G. Bonato
- Exercise and Sports Science, School of Science and Technology, The University of New England, Armidale, 2350, Australia
- College of Arts, Society and Education, James Cook University, Townsville, 4811, Australia
| | - S.P.J Goodman
- Exercise and Sports Science, School of Science and Technology, The University of New England, Armidale, 2350, Australia
| | - Lathlean Tjh
- Exercise and Sports Science, School of Science and Technology, The University of New England, Armidale, 2350, Australia
- The Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5000, Australia
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, 5000, Australia
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Webb KL, Gorman EK, Morkeberg OH, Klassen SA, Regimbal RJ, Wiggins CC, Joyner MJ, Hammer SM, Senefeld JW. The relationship between hemoglobin and [Formula: see text]: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292835. [PMID: 37824583 PMCID: PMC10569622 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There is widespread agreement about the key role of hemoglobin for oxygen transport. Both observational and interventional studies have examined the relationship between hemoglobin levels and maximal oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]) in humans. However, there exists considerable variability in the scientific literature regarding the potential relationship between hemoglobin and [Formula: see text]. Thus, we aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the diverse literature and examine the relationship between hemoglobin levels (hemoglobin concentration and mass) and [Formula: see text] (absolute and relative [Formula: see text]) among both observational and interventional studies. METHODS A systematic search was performed on December 6th, 2021. The study procedures and reporting of findings followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Article selection and data abstraction were performed in duplicate by two independent reviewers. Primary outcomes were hemoglobin levels and [Formula: see text] values (absolute and relative). For observational studies, meta-regression models were performed to examine the relationship between hemoglobin levels and [Formula: see text] values. For interventional studies, meta-analysis models were performed to determine the change in [Formula: see text] values (standard paired difference) associated with interventions designed to modify hemoglobin levels or [Formula: see text]. Meta-regression models were then performed to determine the relationship between a change in hemoglobin levels and the change in [Formula: see text] values. RESULTS Data from 384 studies (226 observational studies and 158 interventional studies) were examined. For observational data, there was a positive association between absolute [Formula: see text] and hemoglobin levels (hemoglobin concentration, hemoglobin mass, and hematocrit (P<0.001 for all)). Prespecified subgroup analyses demonstrated no apparent sex-related differences among these relationships. For interventional data, there was a positive association between the change of absolute [Formula: see text] (standard paired difference) and the change in hemoglobin levels (hemoglobin concentration (P<0.0001) and hemoglobin mass (P = 0.006)). CONCLUSION These findings suggest that [Formula: see text] values are closely associated with hemoglobin levels among both observational and interventional studies. Although our findings suggest a lack of sex differences in these relationships, there were limited studies incorporating females or stratifying results by biological sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin L. Webb
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Ellen K. Gorman
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Olaf H. Morkeberg
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Stephen A. Klassen
- Department of Kinesiology, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
| | - Riley J. Regimbal
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Chad C. Wiggins
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Michael J. Joyner
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Shane M. Hammer
- Department of Kinesiology, Applied Health, and Recreation, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States of America
| | - Jonathon W. Senefeld
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
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Scariot PPM, Papoti M, Polisel EEC, Orsi JB, Van Ginkel PR, Prolla TA, Manchado-Gobatto FB, Gobatto CA. Living high - training low model applied to C57BL/6J mice: Effects on physiological parameters related to aerobic fitness and acid-base balance. Life Sci 2023; 317:121443. [PMID: 36709910 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
There is a scarcity of data regarding the acclimation to high altitude (hypoxic environment) accompanied by training at low altitude (normoxic conditions), the so-called "living high-training low" (LHTL) model in rodents. We aimed to investigate the effects of aerobic training on C57BL/6J mice living in normoxic (NOR) or hypoxic (HYP) environments on several parameters, including critical velocity (CV), a parameter regarded as a measure of aerobic capacity, on monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) in muscles and hypothalamus, as well as on hematological parameters and body temperature. In each environment, mice were divided into non-trained (N) and trained (T). Forty rodents were distributed into the following experimental groups (N-NOR; T-NOR; N-HYP and T-HYP). HYP groups were in a normobaric tent where oxygen-depleted air was pumped from a hypoxia generator set an inspired oxygen fraction [FiO2] of 14.5 %. The HYP-groups were kept (18 h per day) in a normobaric tent for consecutive 8-weeks. Training sessions were conducted in normoxic conditions ([FiO2] = 19.5 %), 5 times per week (40 min per session) at intensity equivalent to 80 % of CV. In summary, eight weeks of LHTL did not promote a greater improvement in the CV, protein expression of MCTs in different tissues when compared to the application of training alone. The LHTL model increased red blood cells count, but reduced hemoglobin per erythrocyte was found in mice exposed to LHTL. Although the LHTL did not have a major effect on thermographic records, exercise-induced hyperthermia (in the head) was attenuated in HYP groups when compared to NOR groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Paulo Menezes Scariot
- Laboratory of Applied Sport Physiology, School of Applied Sciences, University of Campinas, Limeira, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Papoti
- School of Physical Education and Sport of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Juan Bordon Orsi
- Laboratory of Applied Sport Physiology, School of Applied Sciences, University of Campinas, Limeira, SP, Brazil
| | - Paul R Van Ginkel
- Department of Genetics & Medical Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Tomas A Prolla
- Department of Genetics & Medical Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Claudio Alexandre Gobatto
- Laboratory of Applied Sport Physiology, School of Applied Sciences, University of Campinas, Limeira, SP, Brazil.
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Tee CCL, Parr EB, Cooke MB, Chong MC, Rahmat N, Md Razali MR, Yeo WK, Camera DM. Combined effects of exercise and different levels of acute hypoxic severity: A randomized crossover study on glucose regulation in adults with overweight. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1174926. [PMID: 37123278 PMCID: PMC10133678 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1174926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of manipulating hypoxic severity with low-intensity exercise on glucose regulation in healthy overweight adults. Methods: In a randomized crossover design, 14 males with overweight (age: 27 ± 5 years; body mass index (BMI) 27.1 ± 1.8 kg⋅m2) completed three exercise trials involving 60 min aerobic exercise cycling at 90% lactate threshold in normoxia (NM, FiO2 = 20.9%), moderate hypoxia (MH, FiO2 = 16.5%) and high hypoxia (HH, FiO2 = 14.8%). A post-exercise oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed. Venous blood samples were analyzed for incremental area under the curve (iAUC), plasma glucose and insulin, as well as exerkine concentrations (plasma apelin and fibroblast growth factor 21 [FGF-21]) pre- and post-exercise. A 24-h continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was used to determine interstitial glucose concentrations. Heart rate, oxygen saturation (SpO2) and perceptual measures were recorded during exercise. Results: Post-exercise OGTT iAUC for plasma glucose and insulin concentrations were lower in MH vs. control (p = 0.02). Post-exercise interstitial glucose iAUC, plasma apelin and FGF-21 were not different between conditions. Heart rate was higher in HH vs. NM and MH, and MH vs. NM (p < 0.001), while SpO2 was lower in HH vs. NM and MH, and MH vs. NM (p < 0.001). Overall perceived discomfort and leg discomfort were higher in HH vs. NM and MH (p < 0.05), while perceived breathing difficulty was higher in HH vs. NM only (p = 0.003). Conclusion: Compared to higher hypoxic conditions, performing acute aerobic-based exercise under moderate hypoxia provided a more effective stimulus for improving post-exercise glucose regulation while concomitantly preventing excessive physiological and perceptual stress in healthy overweight adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Chow Li Tee
- Division of Research and Innovation, National Sports Institute of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Sport and Exercise Medicine Group, Swinburne University of Technology Melbourne, Hawthorn, VI, Australia
- *Correspondence: Chris Chow Li Tee,
| | - Evelyn B. Parr
- Exercise and Nutrition Research Program, Mary Mackillop Institute for Health Research, Australia Catholic University, Melbourne, VI, Australia
| | - Matthew B. Cooke
- Sport and Exercise Medicine Group, Swinburne University of Technology Melbourne, Hawthorn, VI, Australia
| | - Mee Chee Chong
- Sport and Exercise Medicine Group, Swinburne University of Technology Melbourne, Hawthorn, VI, Australia
| | - Nurhamizah Rahmat
- Division of Research and Innovation, National Sports Institute of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Rizal Md Razali
- Division of Research and Innovation, National Sports Institute of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Wee Kian Yeo
- Division of Research and Innovation, National Sports Institute of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Donny M. Camera
- Sport and Exercise Medicine Group, Swinburne University of Technology Melbourne, Hawthorn, VI, Australia
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TANJI F, TSUJI T, SHIMAZU W, NABEKURA Y. Distance running performance and physiological variables in highly trained female distance runners. GAZZETTA MEDICA ITALIANA ARCHIVIO PER LE SCIENZE MEDICHE 2022. [DOI: 10.23736/s0393-3660.19.04202-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Mujika I, Sharma AP, Stellingwerff T. Contemporary Periodization of Altitude Training for Elite Endurance Athletes: A Narrative Review. Sports Med 2020; 49:1651-1669. [PMID: 31452130 DOI: 10.1007/s40279-019-01165-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Since the 1960s there has been an escalation in the purposeful utilization of altitude to enhance endurance athletic performance. This has been mirrored by a parallel intensification in research pursuits to elucidate hypoxia-induced adaptive mechanisms and substantiate optimal altitude protocols (e.g., hypoxic dose, duration, timing, and confounding factors such as training load periodization, health status, individual response, and nutritional considerations). The majority of the research and the field-based rationale for altitude has focused on hematological outcomes, where hypoxia causes an increased erythropoietic response resulting in augmented hemoglobin mass. Hypoxia-induced non-hematological adaptations, such as mitochondrial gene expression and enhanced muscle buffering capacity may also impact athletic performance, but research in elite endurance athletes is limited. However, despite significant scientific progress in our understanding of hypobaric hypoxia (natural altitude) and normobaric hypoxia (simulated altitude), elite endurance athletes and coaches still tend to be trailblazers at the coal face of cutting-edge altitude application to optimize individual performance, and they already implement novel altitude training interventions and progressive periodization and monitoring approaches. Published and field-based data strongly suggest that altitude training in elite endurance athletes should follow a long- and short-term periodized approach, integrating exercise training and recovery manipulation, performance peaking, adaptation monitoring, nutritional approaches, and the use of normobaric hypoxia in conjunction with terrestrial altitude. Future research should focus on the long-term effects of accumulated altitude training through repeated exposures, the interactions between altitude and other components of a periodized approach to elite athletic preparation, and the time course of non-hematological hypoxic adaptation and de-adaptation, and the potential differences in exercise-induced altitude adaptations between different modes of exercise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iñigo Mujika
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Basque Country, Spain. .,Exercise Science Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Finis Terrae, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Avish P Sharma
- Griffith Sports Physiology and Performance, School of Allied Health Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.,Triathlon Australia, Burleigh Heads, QLD, Australia
| | - Trent Stellingwerff
- Canadian Sport Institute-Pacific, Victoria, BC, Canada.,Department of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
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Abstract
High-level athletes are always looking at ways to maximize training adaptations for competition performance, and using altered environmental conditions to achieve this outcome has become increasingly popular by elite athletes. Furthermore, a series of potential nutrition and hydration interventions may also optimize the adaptation to altered environments. Altitude training was first used to prepare for competition at altitude, and it still is today; however, more often now, elite athletes embark on a series of altitude training camps to try to improve sea-level performance. Similarly, the use of heat acclimation/acclimatization to optimize performance in hot/humid environmental conditions is a common practice by high-level athletes and is well supported in the scientific literature. More recently, the use of heat training to improve exercise capacity in temperate environments has been investigated and appears to have positive outcomes. This consensus statement will detail the use of both heat and altitude training interventions to optimize performance capacities in elite athletes in both normal environmental conditions and extreme conditions (hot and/or high), with a focus on the importance of nutritional strategies required in these extreme environmental conditions to maximize adaptations conducive to competitive performance enhancement.
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O Sullivan IJ, Johnson MI, Hind K, Breen S, Francis P. Are changes in running economy associated with changes in performance in runners? A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sports Sci 2019; 37:1521-1533. [PMID: 30810467 DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2019.1575177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Improvements in running economy (RE) are thought to lead to improvements in running performance (P). Multiple interventions have been designed with the aim of improving RE in middle and long-distance runners. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of interventions of at least 2-weeks' duration on RE and P and to determine whether there is a relationship between changes in RE (ΔRE) and changes in running performance (ΔP). A database search was carried out in Web of Science, Scopus and SPORTDiscus. In accordance with a PRISMA checklist 10 studies reporting 12 comparisons between interventions and controls were included in the review. There was no correlation between percentage ΔRE and percentage ΔP (r = 0.46, P = 0.936, 12 comparisons). There was a low risk of reporting bias but an unclear risk of bias for other items. Meta-analyses found no statistically significant differences between interventions and controls for RE (SMD (95% CI) = -0.37 (-1.43, 0.69), 204 participants, p = 0.49) or for P (SMD (95% CI) = -0.65 (-26.02, 24.72, 204 participants, p = 0.99). There is a need for studies of greater statistical power, methodological quality, duration and homogeneity of intervention and population. Standardised measures of performance and greater control over non-intervention training are also required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian J O Sullivan
- a Musculoskeletal Health Research Group, School of Clinical and Applied Science , Leeds Beckett University , Leeds , UK
| | - Mark I Johnson
- b Centre for Pain Research, Leeds Beckett University, School of Clinical and Applied Science , Leeds Beckett University , Leeds , UK
| | - Karen Hind
- c Research Institute for Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure , Leeds Beckett University , Leeds , UK
| | - Sarah Breen
- d School of Health and Human Performance , Northern Michigan University , Marquette , MI , USA
| | - Peter Francis
- a Musculoskeletal Health Research Group, School of Clinical and Applied Science , Leeds Beckett University , Leeds , UK
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Millet GP, Chapman RF, Girard O, Brocherie F. Is live high -train low altitude training relevant for elite athletes? Flawed analysis from inaccurate data. Br J Sports Med 2017; 53:923-925. [PMID: 29247024 DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2017-098083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gregoire P Millet
- Institute of Sport Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, ISSUL, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Robert F Chapman
- Department of Kinesiology, HH Morris Human Performance Laboratory, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Olivier Girard
- Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Athlete Health and Performance Research Centre, Doha, Qatar
| | - Franck Brocherie
- Research Department, Laboratory Sport, Expertise and Performance, French Institute of Sport (INSEP), Paris, France
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McCleave EL, Slattery KM, Duffield R, Saunders PU, Sharma AP, Crowcroft SJ, Coutts AJ. Temperate Performance Benefits after Heat, but Not Combined Heat and Hypoxic Training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2017; 49:509-517. [PMID: 27787334 DOI: 10.1249/mss.0000000000001138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Independent heat and hypoxic exposure can enhance temperate endurance performance in trained athletes, although their combined effects remain unknown. This study examined whether the addition of heat interval training during "live high, train low" (LHTL) hypoxic exposure would result in enhanced performance and physiological adaptations as compared with heat or temperate training. METHODS Twenty-six well-trained runners completed 3 wk of interval training assigned to one of three conditions: 1) LHTL hypoxic exposure plus heat training (H + H; 3000 m for 13 h·d, train at 33°C, 60% relative humidity [RH]), 2) heat training with no hypoxic exposure (HOT, live at <600 m and train at 33°C, 60% RH), or 3) temperate training with no hypoxic exposure (CONT; live at <600 m and train at 14°C, 55% RH). Performance 3-km time-trials (3-km TT), running economy, hemoglobin mass, and plasma volume were assessed using magnitude-based inferences statistical approach before (Baseline), after (Post), and 3 wk (3wkP) after exposure. RESULTS Compared with Baseline, 3-km TT performance was likely increased in HOT at 3wkP (-3.3% ± 1.3%; mean ± 90% confidence interval), with no performance improvement in either H + H or CONT. Hemoglobin mass increased by 3.8% ± 1.8% at Post in H + H only. Plasma volume in HOT was possibly elevated above H + H and CONT at Post but not at 3wkP. Correlations between changes in 3-km TT performance and physiological adaptations were unclear. CONCLUSION Incorporating heat-based training into a 3-wk training block can improve temperate performance at 3 wk after exposure, with athlete psychology, physiology, and environmental dose all important considerations. Despite hematological adaptations, the addition of LHTL to heat interval training has no greater 3-km TT performance benefit than temperate training alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L McCleave
- 1Sport and Exercise Science Discipline Group, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Moore Park, AUSTRALIA; 2New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS), Sydney Olympic Park, AUSTRALIA; 3Department of Physiology, Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), Canberra, AUSTRALIA; and 4University of Canberra Research Institute for Sport and Exercise (UCRISE), Canberra, AUSTRALIA
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Lizamore CA, Hamlin MJ. The Use of Simulated Altitude Techniques for Beneficial Cardiovascular Health Outcomes in Nonathletic, Sedentary, and Clinical Populations: A Literature Review. High Alt Med Biol 2017; 18:305-321. [PMID: 28846046 DOI: 10.1089/ham.2017.0050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lizamore, Catherine A., and Michael J. Hamlin. The use of simulated altitude techniques for beneficial cardiovascular health outcomes in nonathletic, sedentary, and clinical populations: A literature review. High Alt Med Biol 18:305-321, 2017. BACKGROUND The reportedly beneficial improvements in an athlete's physical performance following altitude training may have merit for individuals struggling to meet physical activity guidelines. AIM To review the effectiveness of simulated altitude training methodologies at improving cardiovascular health in sedentary and clinical cohorts. METHODS Articles were selected from Science Direct, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases using a combination of the following search terms anywhere in the article: "intermittent hypoxia," "intermittent hypoxic," "normobaric hypoxia," or "altitude," and a participant descriptor including the following: "sedentary," "untrained," or "inactive." RESULTS 1015 articles were returned, of which 26 studies were accepted (4 clinical cohorts, 22 studies used sedentary participants). Simulated altitude methodologies included prolonged hypoxic exposure (PHE: continuous hypoxic interval), intermittent hypoxic exposure (IHE: 5-10 minutes hypoxic:normoxic intervals), and intermittent hypoxic training (IHT: exercising in hypoxia). CONCLUSIONS In a clinical cohort, PHE for 3-4 hours at 2700-4200 m for 2-3 weeks may improve blood lipid profile, myocardial perfusion, and exercise capacity, while 3 weeks of IHE treatment may improve baroreflex sensitivity and heart rate variability. In the sedentary population, IHE was most likely to improve submaximal exercise tolerance, time to exhaustion, and heart rate variability. Hematological adaptations were unclear. Typically, a 4-week intervention of 1-hour-long PHE intervals 5 days a week, at a fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2) of 0.15, was beneficial for pulmonary ventilation, submaximal exercise, and maximum oxygen consumption ([Formula: see text]O2max), but an FIO2 of 0.12 reduced hyperemic response and antioxidative capacity. While IHT may be beneficial for increased lipid metabolism in the short term, it is unlikely to confer any additional advantage over normoxic exercise over the long term. IHT may improve vascular health and autonomic balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A Lizamore
- Department of Tourism, Sport and Society, Lincoln University , Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Michael J Hamlin
- Department of Tourism, Sport and Society, Lincoln University , Lincoln, New Zealand
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Endurance, aerobic high-intensity, and repeated sprint cycling performance is unaffected by normobaric “Live High-Train Low”: a double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over study. Eur J Appl Physiol 2017; 117:979-988. [DOI: 10.1007/s00421-017-3586-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Wehrlin JP, Marti B, Hallén J. Hemoglobin Mass and Aerobic Performance at Moderate Altitude in Elite Athletes. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 903:357-74. [PMID: 27343108 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4899-7678-9_24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Fore more than a decade, the live high-train low (LHTL) approach, developed by Levine and Stray-Gundersen, has been widely used by elite endurance athletes. Originally, it was pointed out, that by living at moderate altitude, athletes should benefit from an increased red cell volume (RCV) and hemoglobin mass (Hbmass), while the training at low altitudes should prevent the disadvantage of reduced training intensity at moderate altitude. VO2max is reduced linearly by about 6-8 % per 1000 m increasing altitude in elite athletes from sea level to 3000 m, with corresponding higher relative training intensities for the same absolute work load. With 2 weeks of acclimatization, this initial deficit can be reduced by about one half. It has been debated during the last years whether sea-level training or exposure to moderate altitude increases RCV and Hbmass in elite endurance athletes. Studies which directly measured Hbmass with the optimized CO-rebreathing technique demonstrated that Hbmass in endurance athletes is not influenced by sea-level training. We documented that Hbmass is not increased after 3 years of training in national team cross-country skiers. When athletes are exposed to moderate altitude, new studies support the argument that it is possible to increase Hbmass temporarily by 5-6 %, provided that athletes spend >400 h at altitudes above 2300-2500 m. However, this effect size is smaller than the reported 10-14 % higher Hbmass values of endurance athletes living permanently at 2600 m. It remains to be investigated whether endurance athletes reach these values with a series of LHTL camps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Peter Wehrlin
- Swiss Federal Institute of Sport, Magglingen, Switzerland. .,Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Bernard Marti
- Swiss Federal Institute of Sport, Magglingen, Switzerland
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Ordway JD, Laubach LL, Vanderburgh PM, Jackson KJ. The Effects of Backwards Running Training on Forward Running Economy in Trained Males. J Strength Cond Res 2015; 30:763-7. [PMID: 26332781 DOI: 10.1519/jsc.0000000000001153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Backwards running (BR) results in greater cardiopulmonary response and muscle activity compared with forward running (FR). BR has traditionally been used in rehabilitation for disorders such as stroke and lower leg extremity injuries, as well as in short bursts during various athletic events. The aim of this study was to measure the effects of sustained backwards running training on forward running economy in trained male athletes. Eight highly trained, male runners (26.13 ± 6.11 years, 174.7 ± 6.4 cm, 68.4 ± 9.24 kg, 8.61 ± 3.21% body fat, 71.40 ± 7.31 ml·kg(-1)·min(-1)) trained with BR while harnessed on a treadmill at 161 m·min(-1) for 5 weeks following a 5-week BR run-in period at a lower speed (134 m·min(-1)). Subjects were tested at baseline, postfamiliarized, and post-BR training for body composition, a ramped VO2max test, and an economy test designed for trained male runners. Subjects improved forward running economy by 2.54% (1.19 ± 1.26 ml·kg(-1)·min(-1), p = 0.032) at 215 m·min(-1). VO2max, body mass, lean mass, fat mass, and % body fat did not change (p > 0.05). Five weeks of BR training improved FR economy in healthy, trained male runners without altering VO2max or body composition. The improvements observed in this study could be a beneficial form of training to an already economical population to improve running economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason D Ordway
- School of Education and Health Sciences, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio
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15
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Abstract
Running economy (RE) represents a complex interplay of physiological and biomechanical factors that is typically defined as the energy demand for a given velocity of submaximal running and expressed as the submaximal oxygen uptake (VO2) at a given running velocity. This review considered a wide range of acute and chronic interventions that have been investigated with respect to improving economy by augmenting one or more components of the metabolic, cardiorespiratory, biomechanical or neuromuscular systems. Improvements in RE have traditionally been achieved through endurance training. Endurance training in runners leads to a wide range of physiological responses, and it is very likely that these characteristics of running training will influence RE. Training history and training volume have been suggested to be important factors in improving RE, while uphill and level-ground high-intensity interval training represent frequently prescribed forms of training that may elicit further enhancements in economy. More recently, research has demonstrated short-term resistance and plyometric training has resulted in enhanced RE. This improvement in RE has been hypothesized to be a result of enhanced neuromuscular characteristics. Altitude acclimatization results in both central and peripheral adaptations that improve oxygen delivery and utilization, mechanisms that potentially could improve RE. Other strategies, such as stretching should not be discounted as a training modality in order to prevent injuries; however, it appears that there is an optimal degree of flexibility and stiffness required to maximize RE. Several nutritional interventions have also received attention for their effects on reducing oxygen demand during exercise, most notably dietary nitrates and caffeine. It is clear that a range of training and passive interventions may improve RE, and researchers should concentrate their investigative efforts on more fully understanding the types and mechanisms that affect RE and the practicality and extent to which RE can be improved outside the laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle R Barnes
- Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand, Auckland University of Technology, Level 2, AUT-Millennium Campus, 17 Antares Place, Mairangi Bay, Auckland, New Zealand,
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16
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Cheung SS, Mutanen NE, Karinen HM, Koponen AS, Kyröläinen H, Tikkanen HO, Peltonen JE. Ventilatory chemosensitivity, cerebral and muscle oxygenation, and total hemoglobin mass before and after a 72-day mt. Everest expedition. High Alt Med Biol 2014; 15:331-40. [PMID: 25211648 DOI: 10.1089/ham.2013.1153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We investigated the effects of chronic hypobaric hypoxic acclimatization, performed over the course of a 72-day self-supported Everest expedition, on ventilatory chemosensitivity, arterial saturation, and tissue oxygenation adaptation along with total hemoglobin mass (tHb-mass) in nine experienced climbers (age 37±6 years, [Formula: see text] 55±7 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1)). METHODS Exercise-hypoxia tolerance was tested using a constant treadmill exercise of 5.5 km·h(-1) at 3.8% grade (mimicking exertion at altitude) with 3-min steps of progressive normobaric poikilocapnic hypoxia. Breath-by-breath ventilatory responses, Spo2, and cerebral (frontal cortex) and active muscle (vastus lateralis) oxygenation were measured throughout. Acute hypoxic ventilatory response (AHVR) was determined by linear regression slope of ventilation vs. Spo2. PRE and POST (<15 days) expedition, tHb-mass was measured using carbon monoxide-rebreathing. RESULTS Post-expedition, exercise-hypoxia tolerance improved (11:32±3:57 to 16:30±2:09 min, p<0.01). AHVR was elevated (1.25±0.33 to 1.63±0.38 L·min(-1.)%(-1) Spo2, p<0.05). Spo2 decreased throughout exercise-hypoxia in both trials, but was preserved at higher values at 4800 m post-expedition. Cerebral oxygenation decreased progressively with increasing exercise-hypoxia in both trials, with a lower level of deoxyhemoglobin POST at 2400, 3500 and 4800 m. Muscle oxygenation also decreased throughout exercise-hypoxia, with similar patterns PRE and POST. No relationship was observed between the slope of AHVR and cerebral or muscle oxygenation either PRE or POST. Absolute tHb-mass response exhibited great individual variation with a nonsignificant 5.4% increasing trend post-expedition (975±154 g PRE and 1025±124 g POST, p=0.17). CONCLUSIONS We conclude that adaptation to chronic hypoxia during a climbing expedition to Mt. Everest will increase hypoxic tolerance, AHVR, and cerebral but not muscle oxygenation, as measured during simulated acute hypoxia at sea level. However, tHb-mass did not increase significantly and improvement in cerebral oxygenation was not associated with the change in AHVR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen S Cheung
- 1 Environmental Ergonomics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, Brock University , St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
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17
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Saunders PU, Garvican-Lewis LA, Schmidt WF, Gore CJ. Relationship between changes in haemoglobin mass and maximal oxygen uptake after hypoxic exposure. Br J Sports Med 2014; 47 Suppl 1:i26-30. [PMID: 24282203 PMCID: PMC3903146 DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2013-092841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Background Endurance athletes have been using altitude training for decades to improve near sea-level performance. The predominant mechanism is thought to be accelerated erythropoiesis increasing haemoglobin mass (Hbmass) resulting in a greater maximal oxygen uptake (). Not all studies have shown a proportionate increase in as a result of increased Hbmass. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the two parameters in a large group of endurance athletes after altitude training. Methods 145 elite endurance athletes (94 male and 51 female) who participated in various altitude studies as altitude or control participants were used for the analysis. Participants performed Hbmass and testing before and after intervention. Results For the pooled data, the correlation between per cent change in Hbmass and per cent change in was significant (p<0.0001, r2=0.15), with a slope (95% CI) of 0.48 (0.30 to 0.67) intercept free to vary and 0.62 (0.46 to 0.77) when constrained through the origin. When separated, the correlations were significant for the altitude and control groups, with the correlation being stronger for the altitude group (slope of 0.57 to 0.72). Conclusions With high statistical power, we conclude that altitude training of endurance athletes will result in an increase in of more than half the magnitude of the increase in Hbmass, which supports the use of altitude training by athletes. But race performance is not perfectly related to relative , and other non-haematological factors altered from altitude training, such as running economy and lactate threshold, may also be beneficial to performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philo U Saunders
- Department of Physiology, Australian Institute of Sport, , Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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18
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Lara B, Salinero JJ, Del Coso J. Altitude is Positively Correlated to Race Time during the Marathon. High Alt Med Biol 2014; 15:64-9. [DOI: 10.1089/ham.2013.1060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Lara
- Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Camilo José Cela University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan José Salinero
- Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Camilo José Cela University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Del Coso
- Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Camilo José Cela University, Madrid, Spain
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Aughey RJ, Buchheit M, Garvican-Lewis LA, Roach GD, Sargent C, Billaut F, Varley MC, Bourdon PC, Gore CJ. Yin and yang, or peas in a pod? Individual-sport versus team-sport athletes and altitude training. Br J Sports Med 2013; 47:1150-4. [PMID: 24255910 PMCID: PMC3841751 DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2013-092764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The question of whether altitude training can enhance subsequent sea-level performance has been well investigated over many decades. However, research on this topic has focused on athletes from individual or endurance sports, with scant number of studies on team-sport athletes. Questions that need to be answered include whether this type of training may enhance team-sport athlete performance, when success in team-sport is often more based on technical and tactical ability rather than physical capacity per se. This review will contrast and compare athletes from two sports representative of endurance (cycling) and team-sports (soccer). Specifically, we draw on the respective competition schedules, physiological capacities, activity profiles and energetics of each sport to compare the similarities between athletes from these sports and discuss the relative merits of altitude training for these athletes. The application of conventional live-high, train-high; live-high, train-low; and intermittent hypoxic training for team-sport athletes in the context of the above will be presented. When the above points are considered, we will conclude that dependent on resources and training objectives, altitude training can be seen as an attractive proposition to enhance the physical performance of team-sport athletes without the need for an obvious increase in training load.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Aughey
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Western Bulldogs Football Club, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Martin Buchheit
- Sport Science Department, Physiology Unit, ASPIRE Academy for Sports Excellence, Doha, Qatar
| | - Laura A Garvican-Lewis
- Department of Physiology, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- National Institute of Sports Studies, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Gregory D Roach
- Appleton Institute for Behavioural Science, Central Queensland University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Charli Sargent
- Appleton Institute for Behavioural Science, Central Queensland University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | | | - Matthew C Varley
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Pitre C Bourdon
- Sport Science Department, Physiology Unit, ASPIRE Academy for Sports Excellence, Doha, Qatar
| | - Christopher J Gore
- Department of Physiology, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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20
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Billaut F, Gore CJ, Aughey RJ. Enhancing team-sport athlete performance: is altitude training relevant? Sports Med 2013; 42:751-67. [PMID: 22845561 DOI: 10.1007/bf03262293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Field-based team sport matches are composed of short, high-intensity efforts, interspersed with intervals of rest or submaximal exercise, repeated over a period of 60-120 minutes. Matches may also be played at moderate altitude where the lower oxygen partial pressure exerts a detrimental effect on performance. To enhance run-based performance, team-sport athletes use varied training strategies focusing on different aspects of team-sport physiology, including aerobic, sprint, repeated-sprint and resistance training. Interestingly, 'altitude' training (i.e. living and/or training in O(2)-reduced environments) has only been empirically employed by athletes and coaches to improve the basic characteristics of speed and endurance necessary to excel in team sports. Hypoxia, as an additional stimulus to training, is typically used by endurance athletes to enhance performance at sea level and to prepare for competition at altitude. Several approaches have evolved in the last few decades, which are known to enhance aerobic power and, thus, endurance performance. Altitude training can also promote an increased anaerobic fitness, and may enhance sprint capacity. Therefore, altitude training may confer potentially-beneficial adaptations to team-sport athletes, which have been overlooked in contemporary sport physiology research. Here, we review the current knowledge on the established benefits of altitude training on physiological systems relevant to team-sport performance, and conclude that current evidence supports implementation of altitude training modalities to enhance match physical performances at both sea level and altitude. We hope that this will guide the practice of many athletes and stimulate future research to better refine training programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Billaut
- School of Sport and Exercise Science, Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living (ISEAL), Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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21
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Assumpção CDO, Lima LCR, Oliveira FBD, Greco CC, Denadai BS. Exercise-induced muscle damage and running economy in humans. ScientificWorldJournal 2013; 2013:189149. [PMID: 23431253 PMCID: PMC3575608 DOI: 10.1155/2013/189149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2012] [Accepted: 01/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Running economy (RE), defined as the energy demand for a given velocity of submaximal running, has been identified as a critical factor of overall distance running performance. Plyometric and resistance trainings, performed during a relatively short period of time (~15-30 days), have been successfully used to improve RE in trained athletes. However, these exercise types, particularly when they are unaccustomed activities for the individuals, may cause delayed onset muscle soreness, swelling, and reduced muscle strength. Some studies have demonstrated that exercise-induced muscle damage has a negative impact on endurance running performance. Specifically, the muscular damage induced by an acute bout of downhill running has been shown to reduce RE during subsequent moderate and high-intensity exercise (>65% VO₂max). However, strength exercise (i.e., jumps, isoinertial and isokinetic eccentric exercises) seems to impair RE only for subsequent high-intensity exercise (~90% VO₂max). Finally, a single session of resistance exercise or downhill running (i.e., repeated bout effect) attenuates changes in indirect markers of muscle damage and blunts changes in RE.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Camila Coelho Greco
- Human Performance Laboratory, UNESP, Avenue 24 A, Bela Vista-Rio, 13506-900 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
| | - Benedito Sérgio Denadai
- Human Performance Laboratory, UNESP, Avenue 24 A, Bela Vista-Rio, 13506-900 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
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22
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Jacobs RA, Boushel R, Wright-Paradis C, Calbet JAL, Robach P, Gnaiger E, Lundby C. Mitochondrial function in human skeletal muscle following high-altitude exposure. Exp Physiol 2012; 98:245-55. [PMID: 22636256 DOI: 10.1113/expphysiol.2012.066092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Studies regarding mitochondrial modifications in human skeletal muscle following acclimatization to high altitude are conflicting, and these inconsistencies may be due to the prevalence of representing mitochondrial function through static and isolated measurements of specific mitochondrial characteristics. The aim of this study, therefore, was to investigate mitochondrial function in response to high-altitude acclimatization through measurements of respiratory control in the vastus lateralis muscle. Skeletal muscle biopsies were obtained from 10 lowland natives prior to and again after a total of 9-11 days of exposure to 4559 m. High-resolution respirometry was performed on the muscle samples to compare respiratory chain function and respiratory capacities. Respirometric analysis revealed that mitochondrial function was largely unaffected, because high-altitude exposure did not affect the capacity for fat oxidation or individualized respiration capacity through either complex I or complex II. Respiratory chain function remained unaltered, because neither coupling nor respiratory control changed in response to hypoxic exposure. High-altitude acclimatization did, however, show a tendency (P = 0.059) to limit mass-specific maximal oxidative phosphorylation capacity. These data suggest that 9-11 days of exposure to high altitude do not markedly modify integrated measures of mitochondrial functional capacity in skeletal muscle despite significant decrements in the concentrations of enzymes involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Jacobs
- Zürich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstraße 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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Siebenmann C, Robach P, Jacobs RA, Rasmussen P, Nordsborg N, Diaz V, Christ A, Olsen NV, Maggiorini M, Lundby C. "Live high-train low" using normobaric hypoxia: a double-blinded, placebo-controlled study. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2011; 112:106-17. [PMID: 22033534 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00388.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The combination of living at altitude and training near sea level [live high-train low (LHTL)] may improve performance of endurance athletes. However, to date, no study can rule out a potential placebo effect as at least part of the explanation, especially for performance measures. With the use of a placebo-controlled, double-blinded design, we tested the hypothesis that LHTL-related improvements in endurance performance are mediated through physiological mechanisms and not through a placebo effect. Sixteen endurance cyclists trained for 8 wk at low altitude (<1,200 m). After a 2-wk lead-in period, athletes spent 16 h/day for the following 4 wk in rooms flushed with either normal air (placebo group, n = 6) or normobaric hypoxia, corresponding to an altitude of 3,000 m (LHTL group, n = 10). Physiological investigations were performed twice during the lead-in period, after 3 and 4 wk during the LHTL intervention, and again, 1 and 2 wk after the LHTL intervention. Questionnaires revealed that subjects were unaware of group classification. Weekly training effort was similar between groups. Hb mass, maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2)) in normoxia, and at a simulated altitude of 2,500 m and mean power output in a simulated, 26.15-km time trial remained unchanged in both groups throughout the study. Exercise economy (i.e., VO(2) measured at 200 W) did not change during the LHTL intervention and was never significantly different between groups. In conclusion, 4 wk of LHTL, using 16 h/day of normobaric hypoxia, did not improve endurance performance or any of the measured, associated physiological variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Siebenmann
- Center for Integrative Human Physiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Abstract
It is possible to plan an altitude training (AT) period in such a way that the enhanced physical endurance obtained as a result of adaptation to hypoxia will appear and can be used to improve performance in competition. Yet finding rationales for usage of AT in highly trained swimmers is problematic. In practice AT, in its various forms, is still controversial, and an objective review of research concentrating on the advantages and disadvantages of AT has been presented in several scientific publications, including in no small part the observations of swimmers. The aim of this article is to review the various methods and present both the advantageous and unfavourable physiological changes that occur in athletes as a result of AT. Moreover, AT results in the sport of swimming have been collected. They include an approach towards primary models of altitude/hypoxic training: live high + train high, live high + train low, live low + train high, as well as subsequent methods: Intermittent Hypoxic Exposure (IHE) and Intermittent Hypoxic Training (IHT). Apnoea training, which is descended from freediving, is also mentioned, and which can be used with, or as a substitute for, the well-known IHE or IHT methods. In conclusion, swimmers who train using hypoxia may be among the best-trained athletes, and that even a slight improvement in physical endurance might result in the shortening of a swimming time in a given competition, and the achievement of a personal best, which is hard to obtain by normal training methods, when the personal results of the swimmer have reached a plateau.
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An attempt to quantify the placebo effect from a three-week simulated altitude training camp in elite race walkers. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2011; 5:521-34. [PMID: 21266736 DOI: 10.1123/ijspp.5.4.521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To quantify physiological and performance effects of hypoxic exposure, a training camp, the placebo effect, and a combination of these factors. METHODS Elite Australian and International race walkers (n = 17) were recruited, including men and women. Three groups were assigned: 1) Live High:Train Low (LHTL, n = 6) of 14 h/d at 3000 m simulated altitude; 2) Placebo (n = 6) of 14 h/d of normoxic exposure (600 m); and 3) Nocebo (n = 5) living in normoxia. All groups undertook similar training during the intervention. Physiological and performance measures included 10-min maximal treadmill distance, peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), walking economy, and hemoglobin mass (Hbmass). RESULTS Blinding failed, so the Placebo group was a second control group aware of the treatment. All three groups improved treadmill performance by approx. 4%. Compared with Placebo, LHTL increased Hbmass by 8.6% (90% CI: 3.5 to 14.0%; P = .01, very likely), VO2peak by 2.7% (-2.2 to 7.9%; P = .34, possibly), but had no additional improvement in treadmill distance (-0.8%, -4.6 to 3.8%; P = .75, unlikely) or economy (-8.2%, -24.1 to 5.7%; P = .31, unlikely). Compared with Nocebo, LHTL increased Hbmass by 5.5% (2.5 to 8.7%; P = .01, very likely), VO2peak by 5.8% (2.3 to 9.4%; P = .02, very likely), but had no additional improvement in treadmill distance (0.3%, -1.9 to 2.5%; P = .75, possibly) and had a decrease in walking economy (-16.5%, -30.5 to 3.9%; P = .04, very likely). CONCLUSION Overall, 3-wk LHTL simulated altitude training for 14 h/d increased Hbmass and VO2peak, but the improvement in treadmill performance was not greater than the training camp effect.
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Relationship Between Muscle Strength, Power and Stiffness and Running Economy in Trained Male Runners. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2010; 5:249-61. [DOI: 10.1123/ijspp.5.2.249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Purpose:In this study, a comparison was made between muscle strength, power and muscle and tendon (km and kt respectively) stiffness of the triceps surae muscle group and running economy (RE) in trained male runners.Methods:Twelve well-trained male runners (age = 21 + 2.7 y, height = 178.1 ± 7.1 cm, body mass = 66.7 + 3.2 kg, VO2 max = 68.3 + 4.3 mLkg–1min–1, 5000-m time = 15:04 min:s) underwent passive stiffness testing using a free oscillation method. Muscle strength was determined via a maximal isometric squat test and power determined via a maximal countermovement jump (CMJ). On a separate day, subjects performed an incremental treadmill test and their RE, lactate threshold, and VO2 max were determined. Fingertip blood lactate was determined at the end of each 3-min stage. Lactate threshold was defined as a nonlinear increase in lactate accumulation.Results:A statistically significant correlation was found between k m and VO at stage 6 (r = -0.69, P = .01). In addition, statistically significant correlations were observed between CMJ peak force production and VO2 at stage 2 (r = .66, P = .02), stage 3 (r = .70, P = .01), and stage 4 (r = .58, P = .04). No other statistically significant correlations were observed.Conclusion:These data suggest that greater muscle stiffness and less power are associated with greater RE. Future study in this area should focus on determining the mechanisms behind this relationship and how to best apply them to a running population through training techniques.
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Effectiveness of intermittent training in hypoxia combined with live high/train low. Eur J Appl Physiol 2010; 110:379-87. [PMID: 20503055 DOI: 10.1007/s00421-010-1516-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/12/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Elite athletes often undertake altitude training to improve sea-level athletic performance, yet the optimal methodology has not been established. A combined approach of live high/train low plus train high (LH/TL+TH) may provide an additional training stimulus to enhance performance gains. Seventeen male and female middle-distance runners with maximal aerobic power (VO2max) of 65.5 +/- 7.3 mL kg(-1) min(-1) (mean +/- SD) trained on a treadmill in normobaric hypoxia for 3 weeks (2,200 m, 4 week(-1)). During this period, the train high (TH) group (n = 9) resided near sea-level (approximately 600 m) while the LH/TL+TH group (n = 8) stayed in normobaric hypoxia (3,000 m) for 14 hours day(-1). Changes in 3-km time trial performance and physiological measures including VO2max, running economy and haemoglobin mass (Hb(mass)) were assessed. The LH/TL+TH group substantially improved VO2max (4.8%; +/-2.8%, mean; +/-90% CL), Hb(mass) (3.6%; +/-2.4%) and 3-km time trial performance (-1.1%; +/-1.0%) immediately post-altitude. There was no substantial improvement in time trial performance 2 weeks later. The TH group substantially improved VO2max (2.2%; +/-1.8%), but had only trivial changes in Hb(mass) and 3-km time-trial performance. Compared with TH, combined LH/TL+TH substantially improved VO2max (2.6%; +/-3.2%), Hb(mass) (4.3%; +/-3.2%), and time trial performance (-0.9%; +/-1.4%) immediately post-altitude. LH/TL+TH elicited greater enhancements in physiological capacities compared with TH, however, the transfer of benefits to time-trial performance was more variable.
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Millet GP, Roels B, Schmitt L, Woorons X, Richalet JP. Combining hypoxic methods for peak performance. Sports Med 2010; 40:1-25. [PMID: 20020784 DOI: 10.2165/11317920-000000000-00000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 236] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
New methods and devices for pursuing performance enhancement through altitude training were developed in Scandinavia and the USA in the early 1990s. At present, several forms of hypoxic training and/or altitude exposure exist: traditional 'live high-train high' (LHTH), contemporary 'live high-train low' (LHTL), intermittent hypoxic exposure during rest (IHE) and intermittent hypoxic exposure during continuous session (IHT). Although substantial differences exist between these methods of hypoxic training and/or exposure, all have the same goal: to induce an improvement in athletic performance at sea level. They are also used for preparation for competition at altitude and/or for the acclimatization of mountaineers. The underlying mechanisms behind the effects of hypoxic training are widely debated. Although the popular view is that altitude training may lead to an increase in haematological capacity, this may not be the main, or the only, factor involved in the improvement of performance. Other central (such as ventilatory, haemodynamic or neural adaptation) or peripheral (such as muscle buffering capacity or economy) factors play an important role. LHTL was shown to be an efficient method. The optimal altitude for living high has been defined as being 2200-2500 m to provide an optimal erythropoietic effect and up to 3100 m for non-haematological parameters. The optimal duration at altitude appears to be 4 weeks for inducing accelerated erythropoiesis whereas <3 weeks (i.e. 18 days) are long enough for beneficial changes in economy, muscle buffering capacity, the hypoxic ventilatory response or Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity. One critical point is the daily dose of altitude. A natural altitude of 2500 m for 20-22 h/day (in fact, travelling down to the valley only for training) appears sufficient to increase erythropoiesis and improve sea-level performance. 'Longer is better' as regards haematological changes since additional benefits have been shown as hypoxic exposure increases beyond 16 h/day. The minimum daily dose for stimulating erythropoiesis seems to be 12 h/day. For non-haematological changes, the implementation of a much shorter duration of exposure seems possible. Athletes could take advantage of IHT, which seems more beneficial than IHE in performance enhancement. The intensity of hypoxic exercise might play a role on adaptations at the molecular level in skeletal muscle tissue. There is clear evidence that intense exercise at high altitude stimulates to a greater extent muscle adaptations for both aerobic and anaerobic exercises and limits the decrease in power. So although IHT induces no increase in VO(2max) due to the low 'altitude dose', improvement in athletic performance is likely to happen with high-intensity exercise (i.e. above the ventilatory threshold) due to an increase in mitochondrial efficiency and pH/lactate regulation. We propose a new combination of hypoxic method (which we suggest naming Living High-Training Low and High, interspersed; LHTLHi) combining LHTL (five nights at 3000 m and two nights at sea level) with training at sea level except for a few (2.3 per week) IHT sessions of supra-threshold training. This review also provides a rationale on how to combine the different hypoxic methods and suggests advances in both their implementation and their periodization during the yearly training programme of athletes competing in endurance, glycolytic or intermittent sports.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregoire P Millet
- ISSUL, Institute of Sport Science, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Mickleborough TD, Nichols T, Lindley MR, Chatham K, Ionescu AA. Inspiratory flow resistive loading improves respiratory muscle function and endurance capacity in recreational runners. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2009; 20:458-68. [PMID: 19558387 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2009.00951.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of inspiratory flow resistive loading (IFRL) on respiratory muscle function, exercise performance and cardiopulmonary and metabolic responses to exercise. Twenty-four recreational road runners (12 male) were randomly assigned from each gender into an IFRL group (n=8) and sham-IFRL group (n=8), which performed IFRL for 6 weeks, or a control group (n=8). Strength (+43.9%Delta), endurance (+26.6%Delta), maximum power output (+41.9%Delta) and work capacity (+38.5%Delta) of the inspiratory muscles were significantly increased (P<0.05) at rest following the study period in IFRL group only. In addition, ventilation (-25.7%Delta), oxygen consumption (-13.3%Delta), breathing frequency (-11.9%Delta), tidal volume (-16.0%Delta), heart rate (HR) (-13.1%Delta), blood lactate concentration (-38.9%Delta) and the perceptual response (-33.5%Delta) to constant workload exercise were significantly attenuated (P<0.05), concomitant with a significant improvement (P<0.05) in endurance exercise capacity (+16.4%Delta) during a treadmill run set at 80% VO2max in IFRL group only. These data suggest that IFRL can alter breathing mechanics, attenuate the oxygen cost, ventilation, HR, blood lactate and the perceptual response during constant workload exercise and improve endurance exercise performance in recreational runners.
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Affiliation(s)
- T D Mickleborough
- Department of Kinesiology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47401, USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philo U. Saunders
- Department of Physiology, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, Australia
| | - David B. Pyne
- Department of Physiology, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, Australia
- University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia
- Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Christopher J. Gore
- Department of Physiology, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, Australia
- Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
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Time course of haemoglobin mass during 21 days live high:train low simulated altitude. Eur J Appl Physiol 2009; 106:399-406. [PMID: 19294411 DOI: 10.1007/s00421-009-1027-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/23/2009] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the time course of changes in haemoglobin mass (Hb(mass)) in well-trained cyclists in response to live high:train low (LHTL). Twelve well-trained male cyclists participated in a 3-week LHTL protocol comprising 3,000 m simulated altitude for ~14 h/day. Prior to LHTL duplicate baseline measurements were made of Hb(mass), maximal oxygen consumption (VO(2max)) and serum erythropoietin (sEPO). Hb(mass) was measured weekly during LHTL and twice in the week thereafter. There was a 3.3% increase in Hb(mass) and no change in VO(2max) after LHTL. The mean Hb(mass) increased at a rate of ~1% per week and this was maintained in the week after cessation of LHTL. The sEPO concentration peaked after two nights of LHTL but there was only a trivial correlation (r = 0.04, P = 0.89) between the increase in sEPO and the increase in Hb(mass). Athletes seeking to gain erythropoietic benefits from moderate altitude need to spend >12 h/day in hypoxia.
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