Pre-acclimation to altitude in young adults: choosing a hypoxic pattern at sea level which provokes significant haematological adaptations

• Published in: European journal of applied physiology 2022-02, Vol.122 (2), p.395-407
• Main Authors: Tobin, Barbara, Costalat, Guillaume, Renshaw, Gillian M. C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acclimation; Acclimatization - physiology; Adaptation; Altitude; Biomarkers - metabolism; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Calcium-binding protein; Erythrocyte Count; Erythrocytes; Female; Heart; Hematocrit; Hematology; Hemoglobin; Hemoglobins - metabolism; Hormones; Human Physiology; Humans; Hydrocortisone - metabolism; Hypoxia; Hypoxia - physiopathology; Immunoglobulin A; Immunoglobulin A - blood; Life Sciences; Male; Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine; Original Article; Oxygen Saturation; Reticulocytes; Sea level; Single-Blind Method; Sports Medicine; Troponin; Troponin T; Troponin T - metabolism; Young Adult; Young adults
• ISSN: 1439-6319; 1439-6327
• DOI: 10.1007/s00421-021-04837-8

Purpose This single-blind, repeated measures study evaluated adaptive and maladaptive responses to continuous and intermittent hypoxic patterns in young adults. Methods Changes in haematological profile, stress and cardiac damage were measured in ten healthy young participants during three phases: (1) breathing normoxic air (baseline); (2) breathing normoxic air via a mask (Sham-controls); (3) breathing intermittent hypoxia (IH) via a mask, mean peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) of 85% ~ 70 min of hypoxia. After a 5-month washout period, participants repeated this three-phase protocol with phase, (4) consisting of continuous hypoxia (CH), mean SpO 2  = 85%, ~ 70 min of hypoxia. Measures of the red blood cell count (RBCc), haemoglobin concentration ([Hb]), haematocrit (Hct), percentage of reticulocytes (% Retics), secretory immunoglobulin A (S-IgA), cortisol, cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and the erythropoietic stimulation index (calculated OFF-score) were compared across treatments. Results Despite identical hypoxic durations at the same fixed SpO 2 , no significant effects were observed in either CH or Sham-CH control, compared to baseline. While IH and Sham-IH controls demonstrated significant increases in: RBC c ; [Hb]; Hct; and the erythropoietic stimulation index. Notably, the % Retics decreased significantly in response to IH (-31.9%) or Sham-IH control (-23.6%), highlighting the importance of including Sham-controls. No difference was observed in S-IgA, cortisol or cTnT. Conclusion The IH but not CH pattern significantly increased key adaptive haematological responses, without maladaptive increases in S-IgA, cortisol or cTnT, indicating that the IH hypoxic pattern would be the best method to boost haematological profiles prior to ascent to altitude.