One of the exciting things about competing as an athlete is the opportunity to travel and participate in events in new and different places. But if you live at sea level and plan to compete at elevations higher than 1500 meters, the adaptations necessary for optimal performance will take your training to a whole new level.
Oxygen and Altitude
The difference between training at sea level and training at high altitudes has to do with atmospheric pressure, as explained by Boyle's Law: for a given mass at constant temperature, the pressure times the volume is constant. If you think of the atmosphere as an ocean of gasses, the pressure is greater at sea level because the entire weight of the atmosphere is pressing down, similar to water pressure at the depths of the sea. At high altitude, the pressure is considerably less. At any level, oxygen makes up 21 percent of atmospheric gasses. But at high altitudes, those gasses are more dispersed. Oxygen plays a vital role in physical activity. When you breathe at high altitude, you take in less oxygen per breath. In order to function optimally, the body needs to acclimatize, or adapt, to the reduced atmospheric density.
Training Adaptatons
In the early phases of acclimatization, the body compensates for the lower partial pressure of the atmosphere by accelerated heart and respiratory rates as the heart and lungs strive to meet the body''s oxygen demands. The increased respiratory rate temporarily alters the body's pH, setting the acclimatization process in motion. Beyond 1500 meters, there is about a 2 percent reduction in VO2 max per every 300 meters of altitude, which means that workout intensity will be reduced. Over time, the body adapts by increasing the number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells, increasing muscle cell mitochondria and oxydative enzymes, and restoring pH balance.
Altitude Sickness
Failure to acclimatize to high elevations can result in altitude sickness, manifesting in its mild form as a cluster of symptoms similar to a hangover, including fatigue, headache, decreased appetite and general malaise. In more extreme cases, you can develop high altitude pulmonary edema, or HAPE, which is fluid in the lungs, or high altitude cerebral edema, or HACE, which is fluid in the brain. In the case of HAPE or HACE, immediate descent and medical attention are crucial. Altitude sickness is brought on by two things: ascending too quickly and exercising too vigorously. Even world-class athletes are not immune, and training intensity should be reduced initially and increased gradually.
Preparing for Competition
If you intend to compete at elevations higher than 1500 meters, begin acclimatization training at least three or four weeks prior to your event. Increased consumption of water and carbohydrates and an iron supplement will facilitate adaptation and ward off altitude sickness. Alcohol is known to increase the risk of altitude sickness and should be avoided early on. While high altitude training improves performance at higher elevations, there is no concrete evidence that performance is affected at lower elevations.
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