Effect of Hypoxic Exposure on Blood Variables in Elite Wrestlers

The Influence of Sports and Hypoxic Training on the Regeneration and Adaptation of Skeletal Muscles to Exercise in Wrestlers.

Twelve male wrestlers of the National Polish Team were observed in the study during the camp. The hypoxia group (n=6) participated in sports training and hypoxic exposure, while the control group (n=6) included wrestlers participating only in sports training. The hypoxic group lived and slept in hypoxic rooms. During the camp, all wrestlers followed the same training schedule and diet. In the blood were determined levels of creatine kinase (CK), C-reactive protein (hsCRP) concentration, nitric oxide (NO), morphology, reticulocytes, lipid profile, and ferritin. Also vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, VEGFR2, and VEGFR3), erythropoietin (EPO), angiopoietin (Ang 1, Ang 2), endothelial cell adhesion factor-1 (VCAM-1), Erythropoietin (EPO) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1). Body weight composition was determined.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Hypoxia
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: hypoxia

Detailed Description

Hypoxia exposure applied to professional athletes has attracted attention and scientific debate due to its effects on improving physiological response through cardiovascular and hematological mechanisms. Presently, hypoxic training programs are developed to improve exercise performance in athletes, a useful training method for athletes that may improve their performance in future sea-level competitions. 12 males were divided into the hypoxic (H) and control (C) groups. Group H was living and sleeping in hypoxic rooms (method live high-train low) for 8-14h/d (FiO2≈14%). The implementation of the project was intended to: 1) assess the dynamics of changes in the concentration of pro-inflammatory indicators and hematopoiesis in athletes to variable training loads and hypoxia, 2) explain the usefulness of hypoxic exposure in adaptation to physical exercise, 3) observe the length of the hypoxic cycle necessary to maintain the effect of high-altitude training. In the blood serum the level of basic biochemical indicators of fatigue related to muscle damage, inflammation, and energy deficit, i.e. total creatine kinase (CK) activity, C-reactive protein (hsCRP) concentration, nitric oxide (NO). Moreover, basic hematological indicators: morphology, reticulocytes, lipid profile, and ferritin. Also, angiogenesis regulators: vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptors (VEGFR2 and VEGFR3), erythropoietin (EPO), angiopoietin (Ang 1, Ang 2), endothelial cell adhesion factor-1 (VCAM-1), Erythropoietin (EPO) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1). Body weight composition was determined using a body analyzer. Further investigations into hypoxia methods while considering individual capabilities are necessary for gaining deeper insights, into how hypoxia affects blood count and different blood variables among athletes.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 12
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• member of national wrestler's teams, and sports camp participant.

Exclusion Criteria:

• negative symptoms of hypoxia, and/or injury.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Hypoxia; Live High-Train Low method was used.	Other: hypoxia; The athletes were living in hypoxic rooms, which could simulate a selected altitude above sea level.
No Intervention: Control group; The control group was participating in the same training protocol.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
CK	creatine kinase	The blood was taken at the beginning of the camp (baseline), after 6 days, after 15 days.
hsCRP	reactive C-protein	The blood was taken at the beginning of the camp (baseline), after 6 days, after 15 days.
HIF-1	hypoxia-inducible factor 1	The blood was taken at the beginning of the camp (baseline), after 6 days, after 15 days.
EPO	Erythropoietin	The blood was taken at the beginning of the camp (baseline), after 6 days, after 15 days.
VEGF, VEGF 2, VEGF 3.	vascular endothelial growth factor	The blood was taken at the beginning of the camp (baseline), after 6 days, after 15 days.
Ang 1, Ang 2	angiopoietin	The blood was taken at the beginning of the camp (baseline), after 6 days, after 15 days.
VCAM-1	endothelial cell adhesion factor-1	The blood was taken at the beginning of the camp (baseline), after 6 days, after 15 days.

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
blood count	morphology	The blood was taken at the beginning of the camp (baseline), after 6 days, after 15 days.
lipid profile	HDL, LDL, triglycerides	The blood was taken at the beginning of the camp (baseline), after 6 days, after 15 days.
ferritin	ferritin	The blood was taken at the beginning of the camp (baseline), after 6 days, after 15 days.
	nitric oxide	The blood was taken at the beginning of the camp (baseline), after 6 days, after 15 days.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Poznan University of Physical Education
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Anna Kasperska, Poznań University of Physical Education, Faculty of Sport Sciences in Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Kasperska A, Zembron-Lacny A. The effect of intermittent hypoxic exposure on erythropoietic response and hematological variables in elite athletes. Physiol Res. 2020 Apr 30;69(2):283-290. doi: 10.33549/physiolres.934316. Epub 2020 Mar 23.
• Wilber RL. Application of altitude/hypoxic training by elite athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007 Sep;39(9):1610-24. doi: 10.1249/mss.0b013e3180de49e6.
• Czuba M, Fidos-Czuba O, Ploszczyca K, Zajac A, Langfort J. Comparison of the effect of intermittent hypoxic training vs. the live high, train low strategy on aerobic capacity and sports performance in cyclists in normoxia. Biol Sport. 2018 Mar;35(1):39-48. doi: 10.5114/biolsport.2018.70750. Epub 2017 Oct 11.
• Li J, Li Y, Atakan MM, Kuang J, Hu Y, Bishop DJ, Yan X. The Molecular Adaptive Responses of Skeletal Muscle to High-Intensity Exercise/Training and Hypoxia. Antioxidants (Basel). 2020 Jul 24;9(8):656. doi: 10.3390/antiox9080656.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 2, 2013
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 18, 2013
• Study Completion (Actual): December 18, 2013

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 12, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 17, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): April 18, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 15, 2025
• Last Verified: April 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: hypoxia; athletes; EPO; HIF-1; wrestlers
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Signs and Symptoms, Respiratory; Hypoxia
• Other Study ID Numbers: Wrestlers LH-TL

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No