Aerobic Continuous and Interval Training under Hypoxia Enhances Endurance Exercise Performance with Hemodynamic and Autonomic Nervous System Function in Amateur Male Swimmers

Hypoxic training is often performed by competitive swimmers to enhance their performance in normoxia. However, the beneficial effects of aerobic continuous and interval training under hypoxia on hemodynamic function, autonomic nervous system (ANS) function, and endurance exercise performance remain controversial. Here we investigated whether six weeks of aerobic continuous and interval training under hypoxia can improve hematological parameters, hemodynamic function, ANS function, and endurance exercise performance versus normoxia in amateur male swimmers. Twenty amateur male swimmers were equally assigned to the hypoxic training group or normoxic training group and evaluated before and after six weeks of training. Aerobic continuous and interval training in the hypoxia showed a more significantly improved hemodynamic function (heart rate, −653.4 vs. −353.7 beats/30 min; oxygen uptake, −62.45 vs. −16.22 mL/kg/30 min; stroke volume index, 197.66 vs. 52.32 mL/30 min) during submaximal exercise, ANS function (root mean square of successive differences, 10.15 vs. 3.32 ms; total power, 0.72 vs. 0.20 ms²; low-frequency/high-frequency ratio, −0.173 vs. 0.054), and endurance exercise performance (maximal oxygen uptake, 5.57 vs. 2.26 mL/kg/min; 400-m time trial record, −20.41 vs. −7.91 s) than in the normoxia. These indicate that hypoxic training composed of aerobic continuous and interval exercise improves the endurance exercise performance of amateur male swimmers with better hemodynamic function and ANS function.

Hypoxic Exposure Increases Energy Expenditure by Increasing Carbohydrate Oxidation in Mice

Aims. Hypoxic exposure improves glucose metabolism. We investigated to validate the hypothesis that carbohydrate (CHO) oxidation could increase in mice exposed to severe hypoxic conditions.Methods. Seven-week-old male ICR mice (n=16) were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (CON) was kept in normoxic condition (fraction of inspiredO2=21%) and the hypoxia group (HYP) was exposed to hypoxic condition (fraction of inspiredO2=12%, ≈altitude of 4,300 m). The CON group was pair-fed with the HYP group. After 3 weeks of hypoxic exposure, we measured respiratory metabolism (energy expenditure and substrate utilization) at normoxic conditions for 24 hours using an open-circuit calorimetry system. In addition, we investigated changes in carbohydrate mechanism-related protein expression, including hexokinase 2 (HK2), pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4), and regulator of the genes involved in energy metabolism (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha, PGC1α) in soleus muscle.Results. Energy expenditure (EE) and CHO oxidation over 24 hours were higher in the HYP group by approximately 15% and 34% (p<0.001), respectively. Fat oxidation was approximately 29% lower in the HYP group than the CON group (p<0.01). Body weight gains were significantly lower in the HYP group than in the CON group (CON vs. HYP;1.9±0.9vs.−0.3±0.9;p<0.001). Hypoxic exposure for 3 weeks significantly reduced body fat by approximately 42% (p<0.001). PDH and PGC1αprotein levels were significantly higher in the HYP group (p<0.05). Additionally, HK2 was approximately 21% higher in the HYP group.Conclusions. Hypoxic exposure might significantly enhance CHO oxidation by increasing the expression of PDH and HK2. This investigation can be useful for patients with impaired glucose metabolism, such as those with type 2 diabetes.

Hypoxic exposure can improve blood glycemic control in high-fat diet-induced obese mice

PURPOSE

Blood glucose and insulin resistance were lower following hypoxic exposure in previous studies. However, the effect of hypoxia as therapy in obese model has not been unknown.

METHODS

Six-week-old mice were randomly divided into chow diet (n=10) and high-fat diet (HFD) groups (n=20). The chow diet group received a non-purified commercial diet (65 % carbohydrate, 21 % protein, and 14 % fat) and water ad libitum. The HFD group was fed an HFD (Research Diet, #D12492; 60% kcal from fat, 5.24 kcal/g). Both groups consumed their respective diet for 7 weeks. Subsequently, HFD-induced mice (12-weeks-old) were randomly divided into two treatment groups : HFD-Normoxia (HFD; n=10) and HFD-Hypoxia (HYP; n=10, fraction of inspired=14.6%). After treatment for 4 weeks, serum glucose, insulin and oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) were performed.

RESULTS

Homeostatic model assessment values for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) of the HYP group tended to be lower than the HFD group. Regarding the OGTT, the area under the curve was 13% lower for the HYP group than the HFD group.

CONCLUSION

Insulin resistance tended to be lower and glucose uptake capacity was significantly augmented under hypoxia. From a clinical perspective, exposure to hypoxia may be a practical method of treating obesity.