ABSTRACT
High altitude presents a unique challenge to athletic competiton. Athletes must cope with hypoxia, cold, and dehydration, yet still maintain maximal performance. The timing of altitude exposure and the degree of acclimatization are also critical to a successful outcome. This physiological adaptation to high altitude may in fact be beneficial, and altitude training is frequently used by elite athletes to improve sea level performance. However the objective benefits of altitude training and the optimal strategy of how high to live or train are controversial (Levine 1992). On one hand, acclimatization to high altitude results in central and peripheral adaptations which improve oxygen delivery and utilization. Moreover, hypoxic exercise may increase the training stimulus thus magnifying the effects of endurance training. Conversely, hypoxia at altitude limits training intensity, which in elite athletes may result in relative deconditioning. The added stress of training under hypoxic conditions may also increase the risk of overtraining. We have therefore proposed that living at altitude but training near sea level will result in acclimatization without detraining, thereby improving sea level performance (Levine 1991).
