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.

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.