Intermittent Hypoxia/Hyperoxia Versus Intermittent Hypoxia/Normoxia: Comparative Study in Prediabetes

Intermittent hypoxia/normoxia training (IHT) is considered a possible means to alleviate chronic diseases such as diabetes. In the last decade, another method of intermittent hypoxia/hyperoxia training (IHHT) began to enter the clinical practice, when the periods of breathing with atmospheric air are replaced by breathing a hyperoxic mixture. The present study compared the impact of adaptation to IHHT versus IHT on some metabolic variables in prediabetic patients. A placebo-controlled trial included 55 patients with prediabetes, sea level residents, ages 51-74 years. Control Group (16 patients) took sham 3-week course, and the IHHT Group (17 patients) and IHT Group (22 patients) received similar actual sessions of IHHT or IHT five times a week for 3 weeks, each session consisting four cycles of 5 minutes of hypoxia (12% O₂) followed by 3 minutes of hyperoxia (IHHT, 33% O₂) or 5 minutes of normoxia (IHT, breathing room air). Fasting glucose, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), blood lipids, and the level of blood oxygen saturation (SpO₂) were investigated at baseline, as well as 1 day and 1 month after IHHT/IHT termination. The study showed the same positive effect of two types of training: equal reduction of serum glucose concentrations, both fasting and 2 hours of OGTT; decreased total blood cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins; and an equally smaller drop in SpO₂ during acute hypoxic test (breathing with 12% O₂ for 20 minutes). Improved parameters persisted 1 month after training termination in both groups. One of the advantages of IHHT over IHT observed in this study could be some reduction in the duration of the sessions due to shortening reoxygenation periods. Further studies are required to search for additional beneficial effects of IHHT when using other training modes or other pathologies.