Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 78, Issue 5 1868-1874, Copyright © 1995 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Maximal exercise performance in chronic hypoxia and acute normoxia in high-altitude natives

R. Favier, H. Spielvogel, D. Desplanches, G. Ferretti, B. Kayser and H. Hoppeler
Instituto Boliviano de Biologia de Altura, La Paz, Bolivia.

Maximal O2 uptake (VO2max) was determined on a bicycle ergometer in chronic hypoxia (CH) and during acute exposure to normoxia (AN) in 50 healthy young men who were born and had lived at 3,600 m altitude (La Paz, Bolivia). VO2max was significantly improved (approximately 8%) by AN. However, the difference in VO2max measured in CH and AN (delta VO2max) was lower than that reported in sea-level natives (SN) who exercised in chronic normoxia and acute hypoxia. It is shown that high-altitude natives (HN) and SN have a similar VO2max in normoxia, but highlanders can attain a greater VO2max when O2 availability is reduced by altitude exposure. In addition, in HN, the higher the subject's VO2max in hypoxia, the smaller his delta VO2max. These results contrast with the data obtained in 14 lowlanders acclimatized to high altitude who showed that their delta VO2max was positively related to their VO2max in hypoxia, as previously reported in SN who exercised in acute hypoxia (A. J. Young, A. Cymerman, and R. L. Burse. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. Occup. Physiol. 54: 12-15, 1985). Furthermore, arterial O2 saturation of HN behaved differently from acclimatized lowland natives, inasmuch as it fell less during exercise both in CH and AN. HN with high aerobic capacity display a lower exercise ventilation and a reduced arterial saturation, which could explain their inability to improve VO2max with normoxia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. J. Truijens, F. A. Rodriguez, N. E. Townsend, J. Stray-Gundersen, C. J. Gore, and B. D. Levine The effect of intermittent hypobaric hypoxic exposure and sea level training on submaximal economy in well-trained swimmers and runners J Appl Physiol, February 1, 2008; 104(2): 328 - 337. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. van Hall COUNTERPOINT: THE LACTATE PARADOX DOES NOT OCCUR DURING EXERCISE AT HIGH ALTITUDE J Appl Physiol, June 1, 2007; 102(6): 2399 - 2401. [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Marconi, M. Marzorati, D. Sciuto, A. Ferri, and P. Cerretelli Economy of locomotion in high-altitude Tibetan migrants exposed to normoxia J. Physiol., December 1, 2005; 569(2): 667 - 675. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Lundby, J. A. L. Calbet, G. van Hall, B. Saltin, and M. Sander Pulmonary gas exchange at maximal exercise in Danish lowlanders during 8 wk of acclimatization to 4,100 m and in high-altitude Aymara natives Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, November 1, 2004; 287(5): R1202 - R1208. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. J. Marcinek, W. A. Ciesielski, K. E. Conley, and K. A. Schenkman Oxygen regulation and limitation to cellular respiration in mouse skeletal muscle in vivo Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, November 1, 2003; 285(5): H1900 - H1908. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Hoppeler and M. Vogt Muscle tissue adaptations to hypoxia J. Exp. Biol., March 11, 2002; 204(18): 3133 - 3139. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. L. Lindstedt and K. E. Conley Human aerobic performance: too much ado about limits to VO2 J. Exp. Biol., March 11, 2002; 204(18): 3195 - 3199. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. D. Wagner, M. Araoz, R. Boushel, J. A. L. Calbet, B. Jessen, G. Radegran, H. Spielvogel, H. Sondegaard, H. Wagner, and B. Saltin Pulmonary gas exchange and acid-base state at 5,260 m in high-altitude Bolivians and acclimatized lowlanders J Appl Physiol, April 1, 2002; 92(4): 1393 - 1400. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]