Premium
Influences of Normobaric Hypoxia Training on Physical Fitness and Metabolic Risk Markers in Overweight to Obese Subjects
Author(s) -
Wiesner Susanne,
Haufe Sven,
Engeli Stefan,
Mutschler Harry,
Haas Ute,
Luft Friedrich C.,
Jordan Jens
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.438
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1930-739X
pISSN - 1930-7381
DOI - 10.1038/oby.2009.193
Subject(s) - medicine , hypoxia (environmental) , anaerobic exercise , overweight , physical therapy , cardiorespiratory fitness , heart rate , vo2 max , respiratory quotient , ventilatory threshold , obesity , cardiology , blood pressure , oxygen , chemistry , organic chemistry
Previous studies suggested that hypoxia and exercise may have a synergistic effect on cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors. We conducted a single blind study in overweight to obese subjects to test the hypothesis that training under hypoxia (HG, n = 24, FiO 2 = 15%) results in similar or even greater improvement in body weight and metabolic risk markers compared with exercise under normoxia (NG, n = 21, FiO 2 = 21%). After an initial metabolic evaluation including incremental exercise testing, subjects trained in normoxic or hypoxic conditions thrice weekly over a 4‐week period at a heart rate corresponding to 65% of maximum oxygen uptake (VO 2max ). The experimental groups were similar at the start of the investigation and weight stable during the training period. Subjects in the hypoxia group trained at a significantly lower workload ( P < 0.05). Yet, both groups showed similar improvements in VO 2max and time to exhaustion. Respiratory quotient and lactate at the anaerobic threshold as well as body composition improved more in the hypoxia group. We conclude that in obese subjects, training in hypoxia elicits a similar or even better response in terms of physical fitness, metabolic risk markers, and body composition at a lower workload. The fact that workload and, therefore, mechanic strain can be reduced in hypoxia could be particularly beneficial in obese patients with orthopedic comorbidities.