ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Individual variation in the erythropoietic response to altitude training in elite junior swimmers

B Friedmann¹, F Frese¹, E Menold¹, F Kauper¹, J Jost², P Bärtsch¹

¹ Department of Sports Medicine, Medical Clinic and Policlinic, University of Heidelberg, Germany
² Olympic Training Centre Rhein-Neckar, Heidelberg, Germany

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr Birgit Friedmann
Department of Sports Medicine, Medical Clinic and Policlinic, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 710, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; birgit_friedmann{at}med.uni-heidelberg.de

Objectives: Inter-individual variations in sea level performance after altitude training have been attributed, at least in part, to an inter-individual variability in hypoxia induced erythropoiesis. The aim of the present study was to examine whether the variability in the increase in total haemoglobin mass after training at moderate altitude could be predicted by the erythropoietin response after 4 h exposure to normobaric hypoxia at an ambient Po₂ corresponding to the training altitude.

Methods: Erythropoietin levels were measured in 16 elite junior swimmers before and after 4 h exposure to normobaric hypoxia (Fio₂ 0.15, 2500 m) as well as repeatedly during 3 week altitude training (2100–2300 m). Before and after the altitude training, total haemoglobin mass (CO rebreathing) and performance in a stepwise increasing swimming test were determined.

Results: The erythropoietin increase (10–185%) after 4 h exposure to normobaric hypoxia showed considerable inter-individual variation and was significantly (p<0.001) correlated with the acute erythropoietin increase during altitude training but not with the change in total haemoglobin mass (significant increase of 6% on average). The change in sea level performance after altitude training was not related to the change in total haemoglobin mass.

Conclusions: The results of the present prospective study confirmed the wide inter-individual variability in erythropoietic response to altitude training in elite athletes. However, their erythropoietin response to acute altitude exposure might not identify those athletes who respond to altitude training with an increase in total haemoglobin mass.

Abbreviations: EPO, erythropoietin; Hb, haemoglobin concentration; Hct, haematocrit; MCV, mean corpuscular erythrocyte volume; RBV, red blood cell volume; THM, total haemoglobin mass

Keywords: athletes; erythropoietin; hypoxia; total haemoglobin mass

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Gore, C. J., Rodriguez, F. A., Truijens, M. J., Townsend, N. E., Stray-Gundersen, J., Levine, B. D. (2006). Increased serum erythropoietin but not red cell production after 4 wk of intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (4,000-5,500 m). J. Appl. Physiol. 101: 1386-1393 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Wehrlin, J. P., Zuest, P., Hallen, J., Marti, B. (2006). Live high-train low for 24 days increases hemoglobin mass and red cell volume in elite endurance athletes. J. Appl. Physiol. 100: 1938-1945 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Wehrlin, J P, Marti, B, Noakes, T (2006). Live high-train low associated with increased haemoglobin mass as preparation for the 2003 World Championships in two native European world class runners * Commentary. Br. J. Sports. Med. 40: e3-e3 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Keslacy, S., Mazzeo, R. S., Giussani, D. A., Thakor, A. S., Insalaco, G., Bonsignore, M. R., Rodriguez, F. A., Mark, K. S., Reboul, C., Tanguy, S., Schaffer, L., Marti, H. H., Gamboa, A., Gamboa, J. L., Wehrlin, J. P., Grover, R. F., Friedmann, B., Martin, D. T., Hahn, A. G., Brooks, G. A., Schmidt, W., Wolfarth, B. (2006). Commentary on Point-Counterpoint. J. Appl. Physiol. 100: 363-363 [Full Text]  
• Levine, B. D., Stray-Gundersen, J. (2005). Point: Positive effects of intermittent hypoxia (live high:train low) on exercise performance are mediated primarily by augmented red cell volume. J. Appl. Physiol. 99: 2053-2055 [Full Text]  

eLetters:

Read all eLetters

Why such large increases in Hb mass?

Christopher J Gore, et al.

BJSM Online, 19 Apr 2005 [Full text]

Increase in Hb mass after alitude training in elite junior athletes

Birgit Friedmann, et al.

BJSM Online, 18 May 2005 [Full text]