Intermittent hypoxia revisited: a promising non-pharmaceutical strategy to reduce cardio-metabolic risk factors?
The study aims to investigate the effects of moderate intermittent hypoxia (IH) on key cardio-metabolic risk factors in overweight and obese subjects.



Six subjects were exposed to 10 sessions of moderate IH over 2 weeks (based on [Formula: see text]; ~70 min per session). Measures were made of blood glucose (GLU) and lactate (La-); high (HDLc) and low-density lipoproteins (LDLc); triglycerides (TRG), systolic (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP); and cardiac autonomic indices [root mean square of successive R-R interval differences (RMSSD) and short-term fractal scaling exponent (DFAα1)].



GLU decreased and La-increased following a single IH session (6.21 ± 1.62 vs. 5.32 ± 1.03 mmol L-1; p < 0.05; 1.14 ± 0.21 vs. 1.47 ± 0.22 mmol L-1), but no sustained change after 10 sessions of IH occurred (p > 0.05). Conversely, LDLc (3.00 ± 0.68 vs. 2.51 ± 0.60 mmol L-1; p < 0.05), LDLc/HDLc ratio (2.52 ± 0.66 vs. 2.26 ± 0.70 mmol L-1; p < 0.05), and SBP (118.6 ± 13.3 vs. 109.6 ± 11.3 mmHg; p < 0.05) were all significantly decreased after 10 sessions.



A short course of recurrent IH appears to be a safe and effective non-pharmacological method of reducing key cardiovascular risk factors associated with metabolic disorders.
Faculty of Sport Sciences, CETAPS Laboratory, EA 3832, Normandy University, Rouen, France. Guillaume.costalat@gmail.com.|Faculty of Sport Sciences, APERE Laboratory, EA 3300, University of Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France. Guillaume.costalat@gmail.com.
Guillaume
0000-0003-0478-2882
G
Costalat
Faculty of Sport Sciences, CETAPS Laboratory, EA 3832, Normandy University, Rouen, France.
Frederic
F
Lemaitre
Hypoxia and Ischemia Research Unit, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Griffith University Gold Coast Campus, Southport, Queensland, Australia.
Barbara
B
Tobin
Hypoxia and Ischemia Research Unit, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Griffith University Gold Coast Campus, Southport, Queensland, Australia.
Gillian
G
Renshaw
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016037:Single-Blind Method
D010100:Oxygen
Cardio-metabolic risk factors; Moderate intermittent hypoxia; Obesity; Treatment strategy