Adaptations in muscle oxidative capacity, fiber size, and oxygen supply capacity after repeated-sprint training in hypoxia combined with chronic hypoxic exposure

van der Zwaard, S., Brocherie, F., Kom, B.L.G., Millet, G. P., Deldicque, L., van der Laarse, W.J., Girard, O. and Jaspers, R.T. (2018) Adaptations in muscle oxidative capacity, fiber size, and oxygen supply capacity after repeated-sprint training in hypoxia combined with chronic hypoxic exposure. Journal of Applied Physiology, 124 (6). pp. 1403-1412.

Abstract

In this study, we investigate adaptations in muscle oxidative capacity, fiber size and oxygen supply capacity in team-sport athletes after six repeated-sprint sessions in normobaric hypoxia or normoxia combined with 14 days of chronic normobaric hypoxic exposure. Lowland elite field hockey players resided at simulated altitude (≥14 h/day at 2,800–3,000 m) and performed regular training plus six repeated-sprint sessions in normobaric hypoxia (3,000 m; LHTLH; n = 6) or normoxia (0 m; LHTL; n = 6) or lived at sea level with regular training only (LLTL; n = 6). Muscle biopsies were obtained from the m. vastus lateralis before (pre), immediately after (post-1), and 3 wk after the intervention (post-2). Changes over time between groups were compared, including likelihood of the effect size (ES). Succinate dehydrogenase activity in LHTLH largely increased from pre to post-1 (~35%), likely more than LHTL and LLTL (ESs = large-very large), and remained elevated in LHTLH at post-2 (~12%) vs. LHTL (ESs = moderate-large). Fiber cross-sectional area remained fairly similar in LHTLH from pre to post-1 and post-2 but was increased at post-1 and post-2 in LHTL and LLTL (ES = moderate-large). A unique observation was that LHTLH and LHTL, but not LLTL, improved their combination of fiber size and oxidative capacity. Small-to-moderate differences in oxygen supply capacity (i.e., myoglobin and capillarization) were observed between groups. In conclusion, elite team-sport athletes substantially increased their skeletal muscle oxidative capacity, while maintaining fiber size, after only 14 days of chronic hypoxic residence combined with six repeated-sprint training sessions in hypoxia.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Murdoch Affiliation(s):	School of Psychology and Exercise Science
Publisher:	American Physiological Society
Copyright:	© 2018 the American Physiological Society
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/41757

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