title: Short-term hematological effects upon completion of a four-week simulated altitude camp.
abstract: Hemoglobin mass (tHb) is considered to be a main factor for sea-level performance after "live high-train low" (LHTL) altitude training, but little research has focused on the persistence of tHb following cessation of altitude exposure. The aim of the case study was to investigate short-term effects of various hematological measures including tHb upon completion of a simulated altitude camp. Five female cyclists spent 26 nights at simulated altitude (LHTL, 16.6 ± 0.4 h/d, 3000 m in an altitude house) where tHb was measured at baseline, at cessation of the camp, and 9 d thereafter. Venous blood measures (hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, %reticulocytes, serum erythropoietin, ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase, and haptoglobin) were determined at baseline; on day 21 during LHTL; and at days 2, 5, and 9 after LHTL. Hemoglobin mass increased by 5.5% (90% confidence limits [CL] 2.5 to 8.5%, very likely) after the LHTL training camp. At day 9 after simulated LHTL, tHb decreased by 3.0% (90%CL -5.1 to -1.0%, likely). There was a substantial decrease in serum EPO (-34%, 90%CL -50 to -12%) at 2 d after return to sea level and a rise in ferritin (23%, 90%CL 3 to 46%) coupled with a decrease in %reticulocytes (-23%, 90%CL -34 to -9%) between day 5 and 9 after LHTL. Our findings show that following a hypoxic intervention with a beneficial tHb outcome, there may be a high probability of a rapid tHb decrease upon return to normoxic conditions. This highlights a rapid component in red-cell control and may have implications for the appropriate timing of altitude training in relation to competition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine, University Hospital of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Torben
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pottgiesser
authors.forename: Laura A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Garvican
authors.forename: David T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Jesse M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Featonby
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Gore
authors.forename: Yorck O
authors.initials: YO
authors.lastname: Schumacher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000531:Altitude; D001642:Bicycling / Q000502:physiology*; D004920:Erythropoiesis / Q000502:physiology*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D005293:Ferritins; D010100:Oxygen