Interval Hypoxic Training Enhances Athletic Performance and Does Not Adversely Affect Immune Function in Middle- and Long-Distance Runners

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of intermittent interval training in hypoxic conditions for six weeks compared with normoxic conditions, on hemodynamic function, autonomic nervous system (ANS) function, immune function, and athletic performance in middle- and long-distance runners. Twenty athletes were divided into normoxic training (normoxic training group (NTG); n = 10; residing and training at sea level) and hypoxic training (hypoxic training group (HTG); n = 10; residing at sea level but training in 526-mmHg hypobaric hypoxia) groups. All dependent variables were measured before, and after, training. The training frequency was 90 min, 3 d per week for six weeks. Body composition showed no significant difference between the two groups. However, the HTG showed more significantly improved athletic performance (e.g., maximal oxygen uptake). The hemodynamic function (e.g., oxygen uptake, oxygen pulse, and cardiac output) during submaximal exercise and ANS function (e.g., standard deviation and root mean square of successive differences, high frequency, and low/high frequency) improved more in the HTG. Immune function parameters were stable within the normal range before and after training in both groups. Therefore, hypoxic training was more effective in enhancing athletic performance, and improving hemodynamic and ANS function; further, it did not adversely affect immune function in competitive runners.

Effects of Various Hypobaric Hypoxia on Metabolic Response, Skeletal Muscle Oxygenation, and Exercise Performance in Healthy Males

“…15 These hemodynamic changes are an acute compensation response to decreased oxygen delivery and utilization capacities under hypobaric hypoxia. 16 Furthermore, under severe hypoxia, the RBC deformability, a hemorheological index that indicates ability to deliver oxygen to tissues, decreases. 6 This decrease in hemorheological function plays a key role in reducing exercise performance because it lowers oxygen supply to microvessels and tissues.…”

Hypoxic Pilates Intervention for Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…In all trials, the Pilates program was performed in a 9 × 7 × 3 m (width × length × height) environmental control chamber (NCTC-1, Nara control, Seoul, Korea) at a temperature of 23 ± 1 °C and a humidity of 50 ± 5% [ 16 , 17 ].…”

Aerobic Continuous and Interval Training under Hypoxia Enhances Endurance Exercise Performance with Hemodynamic and Autonomic Nervous System Function in Amateur Male Swimmers

“…LHTL simultaneously offers athletes the beneficial effects of hematological function (e.g., improved erythropoiesis) and normoxic training (i.e., maintenance of training intensity) [ 8 , 9 ]. In recent years, living low training high (LLTH) has received the most attention from various athletes because it is generally associated with shorter exposure time to hypoxia (approximately three to five sessions per week of 1–3 h), less effort, less time, and lower cost than LHTH and LHTL [ 1 , 10 ].…”

“…LLTH for exercise performance consists of various types of training methods such as continuous hypoxic training (CHT), interval hypoxic training (IHT), sprint interval training under hypoxia (SIH), repeated sprint training under hypoxia (RSH), resistance training under hypoxia (RTH), and voluntary hypoventilation at a low lung volume (VHL) [ 11 ]. Among these various LLTH methods (e.g., CHT, IHT, SIH, RSH, RTH, and VHL), CHT and IHT are most commonly used to enhance endurance exercise performance [ 1 , 4 , 5 , 10 ]. However, few studies have examined the effects of hypoxic training consisting of CHT and IHT on endurance exercise performance (especially swimming performance) versus continuous and interval training in normoxia.…”

“…However, few studies have examined the effects of hypoxic training consisting of CHT and IHT on endurance exercise performance (especially swimming performance) versus continuous and interval training in normoxia. Short-term exposure to hypoxia with high-intensity exercise such as CHT, IHT, and CHT + IHT improves endurance exercise performance by enhancing metabolic function, hemodynamic function, and exercise economy [ 1 , 5 , 10 , 12 , 13 ]. However, some studies reported that CHT, IHT, and CHT + IHT did not enhance endurance exercise performance [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ].…”