Abstract:
To quantify the effects of adaptation to acutely intermittent hypoxia on running performance, we randomized 29 trained male hockey and soccer players in double-blind fashion to altitude or placebo groups for 15 days of daily use of a functional or placebo hypoxic re-breathing device.
Each day’s exposure consisted of alternately breathing hypoxic and fresh air for 6 and 4 min respectively over I h. Oxygen saturation was monitored with pulse oximeters and progressively reduced in the hypoxia group (90% on Day 1, 77% on Day 15, equivalent to altitudes of similar to 3600-6000 in above sea level). Performance tests were an incremental run to maximum speed followed by six maximal-effort running sprints; tests were performed I day before, 3 days after, and 12 days after the 15-day treatment.
Relative to placebo, at 3 days post treatment the hypoxia group showed a mean increase in maximum speed of 2.0% (90% confidence limits, +/- 0.5%); sprint speed was relatively faster by 1.5% (+/- 1.7%) in the first sprint through 7.0% (+/- 1.5%) in the last; there were also substantial reductions in exercise lactate concentration and resting and exercise heart rate. Substantial effects on performance were still present 9 days later.
Thus, adaptation to acutely intermittent hypoxia substantially improves high-intensity running performance.
Wood, M.R., Dowson, M.N., Hopkins, W.G. (2006). European Journal of Sport Science. 6, 3, 163-172.
