Environmental Effects: Exercise at Altitude

Exercise at Altitude: Overview

Altitude refers to the height of a point in relation to sea level. The higher one goes above sea level, the less oxygen is in the air.
Exercising at altitude can have a significant impact on performance and overall health due to a variety of environmental factors.
Two key elements affected by changes in altitude are oxygen availability and the body’s physiological responses.

Oxygen Availability

One key concern when exercising at altitude is decreased oxygen availability. The level of oxygen in the air decreases as altitude increases, resulting in hypoxia, a condition where the tissues in the body do not receive adequate oxygen.
Hypoxia can lead to a range of symptoms and health conditions, from headaches and dizziness, to more severe complications like altitude sickness.

Physiological Responses to Altitude

The body responds to the decrease in oxygen by increasing heart rate and respiration, a process known as cardio-respiratory response. This acts to increase blood flow and the rate of oxygen delivery to the muscles.
Production of red blood cells increases to carry more oxygen in the blood. This is a slower response, taking from days to weeks to develop, and can give a more efficient energy production upon return to sea level.
This combination of responses aids in overcoming the reduced oxygen availability, albeit with limited efficiency, as the cardiovascular system can become overworked.

Impact on Physical Performance

At higher altitudes, performance in aerobic activities can decrease due to the reduced oxygen levels. This can lead to fatigue and slower recovery times.
Conversely, lower air resistance may improve performance in some anaerobic activities such as sprinting or jumping.
The body may also struggle to maintain its internal temperature, due to the lower ambient temperatures often associated with higher altitudes.

Acclimatisation

Long-term, the body can acclimatise to the changes in environmental conditions at altitude, allowing more effective performance and reducing the risk of altitude sickness.
However, acclimatisation takes time and can vary greatly from person to person.

It’s important to remember that environmental influences, such as altitude levels, can have a huge impact on human physiology and physical performance, and adapting to these changes is a complex physiological process. Understanding how the body responds to these changes can be key to safely exercising and performing at altitude.