Altitude Training

Via The Natural Athlete's Clinic

In the world we live in today, with athletic events as competitive as the Olympics, athletes will do whatever it takes to get an edge on their performance and training. Altitude training is one of these conventional methods that is used by some of the biggest names in the professional sports world. The basis of belief is that by being in higher altitude, the body produces a hormone EPO which then allows for more red blood cells to be created meaning that when an athlete returns to sea level their endurance will increase. The whole idea of altitude training relies on the idea of oxygen deprivation (hypoxia) and how the body reacts to that. Understanding how different system of the body work together and react is key to understanding how something such as oxygen deprivation can lead to great effects in ability. In recent years the methods in which athletes go about practicing altitude training has become a major debate in the fitness and science community. Linked in the image above, articles show and explain how many studies with an absurd amount of variables leave many questions unanswered. In recent years the benefits and set backs have been discovered but strong enough research has not be completed. Many believe that the negatives out way the positives while others believe that opposite. The massive industry of mimicking altitude training is another huge issue in which the debate of how does it actually do so if at all. Also linked in the image above are arguments for why altitude training is dangerous by causing hypoxia and why some studies show altitude training working while others do not. Humans want what is best for their personal health so it is important that the science community continues to study so we know how to most effectively work and strengthen bodies.