Manual Delgado et. al.

, (2007) conducted a study on The Effect of Acute Moderate Hypoxia on Accumulated Oxygen Deficit during Intermittent Exercise in Non Acclimatized Men. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of acute moderate hypoxia and rest duration on performance and on the accumulated oxygen deficit (AOD) in high-intensity intermittent efforts. After preliminary tests, 2 groups of nonacclimatized men (resident at 690 m above sea level) carried out 3 randomized protocols of effort (EXP1, EXP2, and EXP5) on 3 different days. These tests were performed at acute moderate altitude (2,320 m) by the hypoxia group (H) and in normoxia by the normoxia group (N). During EXP1 the subjects ran a maximum of five 400m sprints (90% intensity) on a treadmill, with a pause between efforts of 1 minute. In EXP2 and EXP5 the same protocol was repeated, increasing the rest period between sprints to 2 and 5 minutes, respectively. Lactate accumulation and exhaled gases were measured during the tests. Accumulated oxygen deficit was calculated for each sprint. The total AOD (AOD) for each type of protocol was determined to be the sum of the corresponding accumulated deficits. The AODs were influenced by the length of rest period (p < 0.05) but not by H. The increase in recovery time between sprints increased the AOD (7,843 +/- 4,435 vs. 7,137 +/- 2,117 ml; 11,013 +/- 4,616 vs. 9,931 +/- 2,731 ml; 12,611 +/4,594 vs. 12,907 +/- 3,085 ml for H and N in EXP1, EXP2, and EXP5, respectively). The AOD increased in value when the same sprint was compared from EXP1 to EXP5 (p < 0.05). The results obtained show that exposure to acute moderate altitude does not affect the anaerobic pathway contribution in intermittent high-intensity exercises. Performance during this type of repeated effort is not altered during acute exposure to moderate altitude, which should be taken into account when an acclimatizing period is not possible. Bailey D. M et. al., conducted a study on Implications of moderate altitude training for sea-level endurance in elite distance runners. Elite distance

runners participated in one of two studies designed to investigate the effects of moderate altitude training (inspiratory partial pressure of oxygen approximately 115-125 mmHg) on submaximal, maximal and supramaximal exercise performance following return to sea-level. Study 1 (New Mexico, USA) involved 14 subjects who were assigned to a 4-week altitude training camp (1500-2000 m) whilst 9 performance-matched subjects continued with an identical training programme at sea-level (CON). Ten EXP subjects who trained at 1640 m and 19 CON subjects also participated in study 2 (Krugersdorp, South Africa). Selected metabolic and cardiorespiratory parameters were determined with the subjects at rest and during exercise 21 days prior to (PRE) and 10 and 20 days following their return to sea-level (POST). Whole blood lactate decreased by 23% (P < 0.05 vs PRE) during submaximal exercise in the EXP group only after 20 days at sea-level (study 1). However, the lactate threshold and other measures of running economy remained unchanged. Similarly, supramaximal performance during a standardised track session did not change. Study 2 demonstrated that hypoxia per se did not alter performance. In contrast, in the EXP group supramaximal running velocity decreased by 2% (P < 0.05) after 20 days at sea-level. Both studies were characterised by a 50% increase in the frequency of upper respiratory and gastrointestinal tract infections during the altitude sojourns, and two male subjects were diagnosed with infectious mononucleosis following their return to sea-level (study 1). Group mean plasma glutamine concentrations at rest decreased by 19% or 143 (74) microM (P < 0.001) after 3 weeks at altitude, which may have been implicated in the increased incidence of infectious illness.

Manual Delgado et. al., The Effect of Acute Moderate Hypoxia on Accumulated Oxygen Deficit during Intermittent Exercise in Non Acclimatized Men Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 21(2) (2007): 413-417.

Bailey D. M et. al., Implications of moderate altitude training for sea-level endurance in elite distance runners European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology 78(4); (September 1998):360-8.