TY - JOUR
T1 - Short-Term Hematological Effects Upon Completion of a Four-Week Simulated Altitude Camp
AU - Pottgiesser, Torben
AU - Garvican, Laura
AU - Martin, David
AU - Featonby, Jesse
AU - Gore, Christopher
AU - Schumacher, Yorck
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Hemoglobin mass (tHb) is considered to be a main factor for sea-level performance after "live high-train low" (LHTL) altitude training, but little research has focused on the persistence of tHb following cessation of altitude exposure. The aim of the case study was to investigate short-term effects of various hematological measures including tHb upon completion of a simulated altitude camp. Five female cyclists spent 26 nights at simulated altitude (LHTL, 16.6 ± 0.4 h/d, 3000 m in an altitude house) where tHb was measured at baseline, at cessation of the camp, and 9 d thereafter. Venous blood measures (hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, %reticulocytes, serum erythropoietin, ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase, and haptoglobin) were determined at baseline; on day 21 during LHTL; and at days 2, 5, and 9 after LHTL. Hemoglobin mass increased by 5.5% (90% confidence limits [CL] 2.5 to 8.5%, very likely) after the LHTL training camp. At day 9 after simulated LHTL, tHb decreased by 3.0% (90%CL -5.1 to -1.0%, likely). There was a substantial decrease in serum EPO (-34%, 90%CL -50 to -12%) at 2 d after return to sea level and a rise in ferritin (23%, 90%CL 3 to 46%) coupled with a decrease in %reticulocytes (-23%, 90%CL -34 to -9%) between day 5 and 9 after LHTL. Our findings show that following a hypoxic intervention with a beneficial tHb outcome, there may be a high probability of a rapid tHb decrease upon return to normoxic conditions. This highlights a rapid component in red-cell control and may have implications for the appropriate timing of altitude training in relation to competition.
AB - Hemoglobin mass (tHb) is considered to be a main factor for sea-level performance after "live high-train low" (LHTL) altitude training, but little research has focused on the persistence of tHb following cessation of altitude exposure. The aim of the case study was to investigate short-term effects of various hematological measures including tHb upon completion of a simulated altitude camp. Five female cyclists spent 26 nights at simulated altitude (LHTL, 16.6 ± 0.4 h/d, 3000 m in an altitude house) where tHb was measured at baseline, at cessation of the camp, and 9 d thereafter. Venous blood measures (hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, %reticulocytes, serum erythropoietin, ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase, and haptoglobin) were determined at baseline; on day 21 during LHTL; and at days 2, 5, and 9 after LHTL. Hemoglobin mass increased by 5.5% (90% confidence limits [CL] 2.5 to 8.5%, very likely) after the LHTL training camp. At day 9 after simulated LHTL, tHb decreased by 3.0% (90%CL -5.1 to -1.0%, likely). There was a substantial decrease in serum EPO (-34%, 90%CL -50 to -12%) at 2 d after return to sea level and a rise in ferritin (23%, 90%CL 3 to 46%) coupled with a decrease in %reticulocytes (-23%, 90%CL -34 to -9%) between day 5 and 9 after LHTL. Our findings show that following a hypoxic intervention with a beneficial tHb outcome, there may be a high probability of a rapid tHb decrease upon return to normoxic conditions. This highlights a rapid component in red-cell control and may have implications for the appropriate timing of altitude training in relation to competition.
KW - Erythropoiesis
KW - Erythropoietin
KW - Hemoglobin
KW - Hypoxia
UR - http://journals.humankinetics.com/ijspp-back-issues/ijspp-volume-7-issue-1-march/short-term-hematological-effects-upon-completion-of-a-four-week-simu-
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84859467416&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1123/ijspp.7.1.79
DO - 10.1123/ijspp.7.1.79
M3 - Article
VL - 7
SP - 79
EP - 83
JO - International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance
JF - International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance
SN - 1555-0265
IS - 1
ER -