Normobaric hyperoxia training in elite female hockey players.
BACKGROUND
Supplemental oxygen use may offer recovery benefits to team sport athletes both in training and match play. A blinded independent measures study was used to investigate the effect of supplementary oxygen use during recovery from high-intensity exercise on performance.


METHODS
Fifteen female international hockey players underwent a 6 week running based training program with a 2:1 work to rest ratio. The subjects were split into 3 groups; normobaric hyperoxia (HXA), normoxia (NXA) and control (CTR). In between exercise sets HXA received 100% oxygen for 1 minute whilst NXA received a placebo in the same manner. CTR received no treatment and were not supervised. Maximal aerobic speed (MAS) was measured pre and post. Distance covered was measured along with peak heart rate (HRpeak), peak blood lactate concentration ([La-]peak) and rate of perceived exertion (RPE).


RESULTS
MAS improved in HXA, NXA and CTR. However, distance ran in training was not different between groups. There was a likely positive effect on HRpeak in HXA (lower in HXA). RPE and [La-]peak response was not different between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Inhaling supplementary oxygen during recovery between high-intensity intervals did not improve physiological performance of high-level team sport players. The normobaric hyperoxia treatment had no effect on maximal aerobic (distance covered), metabolic ([La-]peak), and perception (RPE) parameters. It is not recommended as an ergogenic aid to training at sea level.
Sportscotland Institute of Sport, Stirling, Scotland, UK - kimberley.murray@sisport.com.
Kimberley
K
Murray
Sportscotland Institute of Sport, Stirling, Scotland, UK.
Andrew
A
Sommerville
Sportscotland Institute of Sport, Stirling, Scotland, UK.
Michael
M
McKenna
Sportscotland Institute of Sport, Stirling, Scotland, UK.
Gemma
G
Edgar
Sportscotland Institute of Sport, Stirling, Scotland, UK.|Aspire Academy, Doha, Qatar.
Andrew
A
Murray
D015308:Anaerobic Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D056352:Athletes; D003163:Competitive Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006688:Hockey / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D018496:Hyperoxia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012146:Rest; D055815:Young Adult
D010100:Oxygen