Influences of short-term hypobaric hypoxia training on body composition, maximal aerobic power, and pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance in healthy young adults: a randomized controlled pilot study.

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of short-term hypobaric hypoxia training on body composition, maximal aerobic power, oxidative stress, and antioxidant capacity in healthy young adults.

Methods: Fifteen healthy male volunteers were randomly assigned to two groups for 3 weeks, either the normoxia group (n = 8) or hypoxia group (n = 7), and evaluated for three weeks. Hypobaric hypoxia training was performed at an intensity of 60-65%, while heart rate reserve for 60 min, three times per week. Body composition (body weight, body mass index [BMI], body fat percentage, body fat mass, skeletal muscle mass), maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), serum oxidative stress markers (derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites [d-ROMs], malondialdehyde [MDA]), and serum antioxidant capacity markers (biological antioxidant potential [BAP], superoxide dismutase [SOD]) were evaluated before and after the three-week intervention.

Results: Among the body composition variables, weight and BMI significantly decreased in the hypoxia group after training (p <0.05). In addition, VO2max significantly increased in the hypoxic group after training (p <0.05). In contrast, no significant differences were observed in any of the markers related to oxidative stress or antioxidant capacity (p> 0.05).

Conclusion: These results suggest that three weeks of hypobaric hypoxia training may reduce body weight and improve VO2max without causing a pro-oxidant/antioxidant imbalance in healthy young adults.