Eight weeks of intermittent hypoxic training improves submaximal physiological variables in highly trained runners

Hypoxic preacclimatization combining intermittent hypoxia exposure with physical exercise significantly promotes the tolerance to acute hypoxia

Background: Both hypoxia exposure and physical exercise before ascending have been proved to promote high altitude acclimatization, whether the combination of these two methods can bring about a better effect remains uncertain. Therefore, we designed this study to evaluate the effect of hypoxic preacclimatization combining intermittent hypoxia exposure (IHE) and physical exercise on the tolerance to acute hypoxia and screen the optimal preacclimatization scheme among the lowlanders. Methods: A total of 120 Han Chinese young men were enrolled and randomly assigned into four groups, including the control group and three experimental groups with hypoxic preacclimatization of 5-day rest, 5-day exercise, and 3-day exercise in a hypobaric chamber, respectively. Main physical parameters for hypoxia acclimatization, AMS incidence, physical and mental capacity were measured for each participant in the hypobaric chamber simulated to the altitude of 4500 m in the effect evaluation stage. The effect was compared between different schemes. Results: During the effect evaluation stage, SpO2 of the 5-day rest group and 5-day exercise group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p = 0.001 and p = 0.006, respectively). The participants with 5-day rest had significantly lower HR than the controls (p = 0.018). No significant differences of AMS incidence were found among the four groups, while the proportion of AMS headache symptom (moderate and severe vs. mild) was significantly lower in the 3-day exercise group than that in the control group (p = 0.002). The 5-day exercise group had significantly higher VO2max, than the other three groups (p = 0.033, p < 0.001, and p = 0.023, respectively). The 5-day exercise group also had significantly higher digital symbol and pursuit aiming test scores, while shorter color selection reaction time than the control group (p = 0.005, p = 0.005, and p = 0.004, respectively). Conclusion: Hypoxic preacclimatization combining IHE with physical exercise appears to be efficient in promoting the tolerance to acute hypoxia. Hypoxia duration and physical exercise of moderate intensity are helpful for improvement of SpO2 and HR, relief of AMS headache symptoms, and enhancement of mental and physical operation capacity.

Construction of a Machine Learning Model to Estimate Physiological Variables of Speed Skating Athletes Under Hypoxic Training Conditions

ABSTRACT

Han, J, Liu, M, Shi, J, and Li, Y. Construction of a machine learning model to estimate physiological variables of speed skating athletes under hypoxic training conditions. J Strength Cond Res 37(7): 1543-1550, 2023-Monitoring changes in athletes' physiological variables is essential to create a safe and effective hypoxic training plan for speed skating athletes. This research aims to develop a machine learning estimation model to estimate physiological variables of athletes under hypoxic training conditions based on their physiological measurements collected at sea level. The research team recruited 64 professional speed skating athletes to participate in a 10-week training program, including 3 weeks of sea-level training, followed by 4 weeks of hypoxic training and then a 3-week sea-level recovery period. We measured several physiological variables that could reflect the athletes' oxygen transport capacity in the first 7 weeks, including red blood cell (RBC) count and hemoglobin (Hb) concentration. The physiological variables were measured once a week and then modeled as a mathematical model to estimate measurements' changes using the maximum likelihood method. The mathematical model was then used to construct a machine learning model. Furthermore, the original data (measured once per week) were used to construct a polynomial model using curve fitting. We calculated and compared the mean absolute error between estimated values of the 2 models and measured values. Our results show that the machine learning model estimated RBC count and Hb concentration accurately. The errors of the estimated values were within 5% of the measured values. Compared with the curve fitting polynomial model, the accuracy of the machine learning model in estimating hypoxic training's physiological variables is higher. This study successfully constructed a machine learning model that used physiological variables measured at the sea level to estimate the physiological variables during hypoxic training.

Efficacy of intermittent hypoxic training on hemodynamic function and exercise performance in competitive swimmers

PURPOSE

Hemodynamic function is a parameter indicating oxygen delivery and utilization capacity and is an important determinant of exercise performance. The present study aimed to determine whether intermittent hypoxic training (IHT) ameliorates hemodynamic function and exercise performance in competitive swimmers.

METHODS

Twenty competitive swimmers (10 men, 10 women) volunteered to participate in the study. Participants were divided into the normoxic training (NT) group and the hypoxic training (HT) group and were subjected to training in a simulated altitude of 3000 m. We evaluated hemodynamic function profiles over 30 min of submaximal exercise on a bicycle and exercise performance before and after 6 weeks of training, which involved continuous exercise at 80% maximal heart rate (HRmax) for 30 min and interval exercise at 90% of HRmax measured before training for 30 min (ten rounds comprising 2 min of exercise followed by 1 min of rest each round).

RESULTS

Significant changes in oxygen consumption (decrease) and end-diastolic volume (increase) were observed only in the HT group. Heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO), and ejection fraction (EF) were significantly reduced in both groups, but the reduction rates of HR and CO were greater in the HT group than in the NT group. Exercise performance measures, including maximal oxygen consumption and 400-m time trial, were significantly increased only in the HT group.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggested that 6 weeks of IHT, which involved high-intensity continuous and interval exercise, can effectively improve exercise performance by enhancing hemodynamic function in competitive swimmers.

Effects of intermittent hypoxic training performed at high hypoxia level on exercise performance in highly trained runners

This study exanimated the effects of intermittent hypoxic training (IHT) conducted at a high level of hypoxia with recovery at ambient air on aerobic/anaerobic capacities at sea level and hematological variations. According to a double-blind randomized design, fifteen highly endurance-trained runners completed a 6-weeks regimented training with 3 sessions per week consisting of intermittent runs (6x work-rest ratio of 5':5') on a treadmill at 80-85% of maximal aerobic speed ([Formula: see text]). Nine athletes (hypoxic group, HG) performed the exercise bouts at FI0₂ = 10.6-11.4% while six athletes (normoxic group, NG) exercised at ambient air. Running time to exhaustion at a velocity corresponding to 95% [Formula: see text] significantly increased for HG while no effect was found for NG. Regarding [Formula: see text], no significant effects were found in either training group. In addition, the decline of jumping performances over a 45s-continuous maximal vertical jump test (i.e. anaerobic capacity index) tended to be lower in HG compared to NG. The levels of the studied hematological variables, including erythropoietin and hematocrit, did not significantly change for either HG or NG. These results highlight that our IHT protocol may induce additional effects on aerobic performance without compromising the anaerobic capacity index in highly-trained athletes.

Intermittent hypoxic training for 6 weeks in 3000 m hypobaric hypoxia conditions enhances exercise economy and aerobic exercise performance in moderately trained swimmers

Athletic endurance performance at sea level can be improved via intermittent hypoxic training (IHT). However, the efficacy of IHT for enhancement of aerobic exercise performance at sea level is controversial because of methodological differences. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine whether the IHT regimen ameliorates exercise economy and aerobic exercise performance in moderately trained swimmers. A total of 20 moderately trained swimmers were equally assigned to the control group (n=10) training in normoxic conditions and the IHT group (n=10) training at a simulated altitude of 3000 m. They were evaluated for metabolic parameters and skeletal muscle oxygenation during 30 min submaximal exercise on a bicycle, and aerobic exercise performance before and after 6 weeks of training composed of aerobic continuous exercise set at 80% maximal heart rate (HRmax) during 30 min and anaerobic interval exercise set at the exercise load with 90% HRmax measured in pre-test during 30 min (10 times 2 min exercise and 1 min rest). According to the results, the IHT group demonstrated greater improvement in exercise economy due to decreases in VO2 (p=.016) and HHb (p=.002) and increases in O₂Hb (p<.001) and TOI (p=.006). VCO₂ was decreased in the IHT group (p=.010) and blood lactate level was decreased in the control (p=.005) and IHT groups (p=.001). All aerobic exercise performance including VO_2max (p=.001) and the 400 m time trial (p<.001) were increased in the IHT group. The present findings indicate that the 6 week IHT regime composed of high-intensity aerobic continuous exercise and anaerobic interval exercise can be considered an effective altitude/hypoxic training method for improvement of exercise economy and aerobic exercise performance in moderately trained swimmers.

Effect of Intermittent Hypoxic Training Followed by Intermittent Hypoxic Exposure on Aerobic Capacity of Long Distance Runners

Effects of intermittent hypoxic training (IHT) are still controversial and detraining effects remain uninvestigated. Therefore, we investigated (a) whether IHT improves aerobic capacity; (b) whether aerobic detraining occurs post-IHT; and (c) whether intermittent hypoxic exposure (IHE) at rest reduces a possible aerobic detraining post-IHT. Twenty eight runners (21 men/7 women; 36 ± 2 years; maximal oxygen uptake [V[Combining Dot Above]O2max] 55.4 ± 1.3 ml·kg·min) participated in a single-blinded placebo-controlled trial. Twice a week, 1 group performed 6 weeks of IHT (n = 11), followed by 4 weeks of IHE (n = 11) at rest (IHT+IHE group). Another group performed 6 weeks of IHT (n = 10), followed by 4 weeks of normoxic exposure (NE, n = 9) at rest (IHT+NE group). A control group performed 6 weeks of normoxic training (NT, n = 7), followed by 4 weeks of NE (n = 6) at rest (NT+NE group). Hematological and submaximal/maximal aerobic measurements were conducted in normoxia at pretraining, posttraining, and postexposure. Hemoglobin concentration did not change, but lactate threshold and running economy improved in all groups at posttraining (p ≤ 0.05 vs. pretraining). Ventilatory threshold, respiratory compensation point, and V[Combining Dot Above]O2max increased after IHT (IHT+IHE group: 7.3, 5.4, and 9.2%, respectively; IHT+NE group: 10.7, 7.5, and 4.8%; p ≤ 0.05 vs. pretraining), but not after NT (-1.1, -1.0, and -3.8%; p > 0.05 vs. pretraining). Such IHT-induced adaptations were maintained at postexposure (p > 0.05 vs. postexposure). In conclusion, IHT induced further aerobic improvements than NT. These additional IHT adaptations were maintained for 4 weeks post-IHT, regardless of IHE.