Oxygen saturation response to exercise VO2 at 2100 m and 4350 m in women mountaineering trainees

Human work performances decreases at high altitude (HA). This decrement does not appear to be similar for every individual, may be due to variety of factors like elevation, mode of induction, work intensity, physical condition and specificity of the subjects. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of alteration in responses of oxygen saturation (SaO2) and oxygen consumption (VO2) to a standard exercise in women mountaineering trainees under hypobaric hypoxia. Experiments were conducted in 2 groups (10 each) of females and compared the difference in responses of native women of moderate altitude with those of the plains/low altitude. A standard exercise test (Modified Harvard Step-Test for women) was performed on a 30 cm stool with 24 cycles/min for 5 min, initially at 2100 m and then at 4350 m. The exercise VO2 values for plains dwelling women achieved apparently VO2max level at both altitude locations with significant reduction in SaO2 during standard exercise. Exercise VO2 values decreased on exposure to 4350 m with further reduction in SaO2. Whereas with same work intensity, under same situation the exercise VO2 values of the moderate altitude women did not appear to have reached VO2max. They also maintained comparatively higher level of SaO2. It may be concluded that hypoxic exposure along with mountaineering training, the moderate altitude women maintained a higher level of SaO2 during standard exercise at both altitude locations, compared to low altitude women who might have lost a compensatory reserve to defend the hypoxic stress to exercise. Thus, moderate altitude women are proved to be better fit for hypoxic tolerance/HA performance.