Hypoxia Training & Cardioprotective Effects

[MikeMartial]

While this article isn't directly related to athletic hypoxia training, I though it was interesting and sheds light on the "whys" of this type of training; much like exercise-induced oxidative stress, physiological adaptations to adverse conditions result in positive changes.

Hypoxia Training Suppresses Harmful Cardiac Nitric Oxide Production During Heart Attack

This is something I'd like to try myself; while I'm not privy to either an altitude tent or hypoxia-mask unit (Polynikes you lucky bastard, lol), I'd like to look into some form of snorkel or mask training.

 

[XTrainer]

Does working really hard and inducing an oxygen debt have a similar effect?

 

[Polynikes]

Well, given the fact that my father had a heart attack and died at 44, I am pretty happy to learn about this.

Thanks for the link dude.

 

[MikeMartial]

Does working really hard and inducing an oxygen debt have a similar effect?

Good question, and regarding the study, I'd say no. In this case, I think actual hypoxia is induced, versus EPOC. There's no details on the methods used, so I'm not sure.

 

[Newt]

Regarding snorkel and mask training, does anyone have any links to any studies showing that restricting/reducing the flow of low-altitude air (i.e., snorkel/mask training) is equivalent or comparable to actually breathing in air with a lower oxygen content (i.e., living/training at altitude)? To me, it seems that snorkel/mask training would merely develop the efficiency of the inhalation/exhalation muscles (and probably lactic acid tolerance), while breathing in air with a lower oxygen content would seem more likely to bring about the physiological changes traditionally associated with living at altitude (increased mitochondial density, red blood cell count, etc.).

Thoughts?

 

[Reloaded]

Regarding snorkel and mask training, does anyone have any links to any studies showing that restricting/reducing the flow of low-altitude air (i.e., snorkel/mask training) is equivalent or comparable to actually breathing in air with a lower oxygen content (i.e., living/training at altitude)? To me, it seems that snorkel/mask training would merely develop the efficiency of the inhalation/exhalation muscles (and probably lactic acid tolerance), while breathing in air with a lower oxygen content would seem more likely to bring about the physiological changes traditionally associated with living at altitude (increased mitochondial density, red blood cell count, etc.).

Thoughts?

Very good question, I would like to know that too since one is a mechanical action and the other an actually chemical action.

 

[Vedic]

Ya the gym I manage has a altitude room. haven't used it yet or researched it much, although I am very interested.

 

[NoSmilez]

i am lookin for a mask to sleep with or workout with but whats the price range? i checked out some tent systems and its around 5k

 

[Cyclone Mike]

yeaa id like to look into training with something like this but im not sure if its worth the money. i asked ross about it and he basically said while there are certainly benefits of hypoxia training it is hardly necessary. plus that power lung mouthpiece is like 80 bucks and the tent is waaay too expensive

 

[Hbs6]

There are benifits to this sort of training but in reality most effects (of course some studies show different) are seen best when people live high and then train at lower altitude. As most kenyans do. People who were born at high altitiude tend to have a higher adaption to altitude that people who were born at low altitude can never achieve. Benefits? Of course there could be some for you. Needed? Hardly.

 

[Dan's Knuckles]

Sorry it took me so long to respond, I've not had a chance to be on the forum much lately.

I have heard that brief hypoxia can have cardioprotective effects, however you have to understand that nitric oxide is not a bad thing; Nitric Oxide is a substance which causes the blood vessels to expand in response to a buildup of ****bolic byproducts. For example; when someone who has angina pectoris has an angina attack they typically take pre-prescribed nitroc oxide to open up those coronary arteries.

The adaptations (which were not named) would probably not benefit anyone who is aerobically trained. Basically they tied a string around the vessels in the dogs' hearts and gave them angina attacks.

The whole hypoxic training thing works on several principles in different situations (for athletes that is).
In swim hypoxic training it's two-fold; you need to improve your ability to produce and utilize lactic acid through the anaerobic portion of glycolysis, and you have to get confident in your ability to hold your breath and work under water. I am a certified scuba diver, and a lot of people once water gets in their nose, they simply panic and cannot breath. Much like when you time your breath holds you may not be able to hold your breath as long under water at complete rest simply due to the psychological factors. You look at SEAL and PJ candidates who pass out under water, it's because they have the confidence but not the physiological capacity to complete the task.

Then, for non-water type activities the principle is actually Train Low, Live High. You need to train where there is enough oxygen for you to truly stress yourself cardiovascularly but live in an environment where you force your body to produce more RBCs so you can work harder at low altitude. Most peole can't commute down 6000 feet, so they just train and live high.

 

[Dan's Knuckles]

Why is "M E T A" censored?

 

[WCLegend90]

If you're not going to fight with it on your face, why train with it? I just don't see the point of restricting oxygen than won't be restricted during the fight. It seems as if it would have negative effects for your training, not being able to do it at 100%.

 

[MikeMartial]

Thanks for chiming in, Dan.

I was wondering if anyone was going to pick how nitric oxide was coined "toxic". I wasn't quite sure why that was labeled that way, either, but I'd be the first to admit I'm not completely up to speed on reperfusion pathology. We regularly administer nitroglycerin to dilate coronaries, via sublingual and intravenously. I know metabolic byproducts can cause nasty reperfusion arrhythmias, I didn't think nitric oxide was one of them.

Have you had any personal experience with hypoxia training? Other than the altitude tents and masks, what are your thoughts on restrictive devices? Worthless? Useful?

Why is "M E T A" censored?

It's blocked because of previous hack attempts. Annoying in the training forums, since metabolism and metabolic is thrown around frequently.

 

[Cyclone Mike]

are there options for sleeping high other than the 5000 dollar tent of financial doom

 

[Dan's Knuckles]

Thanks for chiming in, Dan.

I was wondering if anyone was going to pick how nitric oxide was coined "toxic". I wasn't quite sure why that was labeled that way, either, but I'd be the first to admit I'm not completely up to speed on reperfusion pathology. We regularly administer nitroglycerin to dilate coronaries, via sublingual and intravenously. I know metabolic byproducts can cause nasty reperfusion arrhythmias, I didn't think nitric oxide was one of them.

Have you had any personal experience with hypoxia training? Other than the altitude tents and masks, what are your thoughts on restrictive devices? Worthless? Useful?



It's blocked because of previous hack attempts. Annoying in the training forums, since metabolism and metabolic is thrown around frequently.

The actual nitric oxide isn't what is toxic, the article said that nitric perioxide and superoxide were the toxic products, nitric oxide itself may be toxic in etraordinary levels, my guess is that those are byproducts or the result of improper formation due to lack of appropriate substrates.
Let's keep in mind that even O2 (breathable oxygen) is toxic to humans in too high a level, and O3 (ozone) is downright toxic.