Sports Med 1996 Oct;22(4):251-63

Altitude training for improvements in sea level
performance. Is the scientific evidence of benefit?

Wolski LA, McKenzie DC, Wenger HA

Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

Altitude training invokes physiological changes that are very similar to those caused by endurance training, As a result, it has been incorporated in the training regimes of elite athletes in an effort to improve sea level performance. Several training strategies, such as constant altitude exposure, intermittent altitude exposure or 'live high train low', have been used in an effort to incur an advantage in sea level performance over just sea level training alone. In spite of the accumulating scientific evidence that altitude training affords no advantage over sea level training, many coaches and athletes believe that it can enhance sea level performance for any athlete, whether endurance or power is the focus in their particular sport. However, altitude training may not be suitable for some athletes depending on their age, fitness level, health, iron status and the energy and technical requirements of their sport. The issue of whether altitude training enhances sea level performance remains a controversial topic.

Int J Sports Med 1997 Nov;18(8):565-70

Altitude and hypoxia training--a short review.

Boning D

Abteilung fur Sportmedizin, Universitatsklinikum Benjamin Franklin, Freie Universitat Berlin,
Germany.

The importance of oxygen transport and consumption in the body for endurance performance is the reason why altitude training as preparation for competitions at sea level has become popular. In hypoxia maximal O2 uptake decreases. Thus for equal work load training at altitude is harder and stimulates adaptation processes more than sea level training. A specific altitude training effect, however, can only be proven if a relative equal load (in % of VO2max) is more effective than during sea level training. In only three of 10 investigations with this design has a significant improvement of either maximal performance, VO2max or endurance been found, in two there was a nonsignificant tendency. When training in hypoxia combined with living in normoxia was investigated two of four groups improved. Living in hypoxia with training in normoxia is probably more effective but only preliminary publications are available. Summarizing, a small specific altitude effect on performance capacity seems to exist, which may be counteracted by negative influences like reduced stimulation of muscular metabolism. A series of single physiological changes at altitude might have positive or negative implications on training success: training of respiratory muscles, increase of hypoxic ventilatory stimulation, reduced heart training by vegetative "braking", increase of red cell and plasma volume (the latter after descent), right shift of the oxygen dissociation curve, increase of oxidative muscle enzymes (only after hypoxia training), shift from fat and muscle glycogen to blood glucose combustion, reduced lactic acid and ammonia production, increase in buffer capacity.

Recommendations:

The Breathing Kit
Oxygen Concentrator