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Supramaximal Intensity Hypoxic Exercise and Vascular Function Assessment in Mice
Published on: March 15, 2019
Intermittent hypoxia at rest for improvement of athletic performance
P Bärtsch1, C Dehnert, B Friedmann-Bette
1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Sports Medicine, Medical University Clinic, Heidelberg, Germany. peter_bartsch@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
|September 9, 2008
Summary
Intermittent hypoxic exposure (IHE) and prolonged hypoxic exposure (PHE) do not significantly improve sea-level athletic performance. These hypoxic training methods are not recommended for competition preparation at sea level.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Exercise Physiology
- Altitude Training
Background:
- Hypoxic exposure at rest is a training modality explored for athletic enhancement.
- Two primary methods include intermittent hypoxic exposure (IHE) and prolonged hypoxic exposure (PHE).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the efficacy of IHE and PHE for improving sea-level athletic performance.
- To determine if hypoxic exposure modalities induce physiological changes beneficial for athletes.
Main Methods:
- Review of studies utilizing IHE (5-6 min hypoxia alternating with room air for 60-90 min) and PHE (up to 3 hours/day).
- Hypoxic conditions simulated altitudes of 4000-6000 m.
- Analysis of studies assessing sea-level performance after 14-20 sessions of exposure.
Main Results:
- Five of six IHE studies and all four controlled PHE studies found no significant improvement in sea-level performance.
- A potential minor benefit of PHE was observed in swimmers when combined with tapering.
- No significant physiological adaptations linked to improved athletic performance were identified for IHE or PHE.
Conclusions:
- IHE and PHE are not recommended for preparing athletes for competitions held at sea level.
- Current evidence does not support the use of these hypoxic exposure methods for enhancing athletic performance.
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