| Altitude training (or an altitude camp) is where endurance
athletes train at high altitude,
usually over 2,500 m (8,000 ft) above sea level, for several weeks. Due to the
lack of oxygen, the body adapts by increasing the concentration of red blood cells and hemoglobin. The idea is that when the athlete returns to sea level (where they are competing) they will still
have a higher concentration of red blood cells. Some athletes choose to permanently live at high altitude, only returning to sea
level to compete.
A larger concentration of red blood cells allows more oxygen to be supplied to the muscles allowing higher performance. This
effect can also be obtained though the illegal drug EPO or via blood doping.
There is a debate in the sports community as to whether altitude training is actually benifitial. Some scientific research has
been undertaken - some showing no effect what so ever and others showing an improvement. Opponents to it argue that an athlete's
red blood cell concentration returns to normal levels within days of returning to sea level. It is also impossible to train at
the same intensity that one could at sea level so the training effect is reduced and training time may be wasted due to altitude sickness.
Supporters feel that even if no training effect is obtained, training at altitude is much more difficult and builds an
althlete's mental
toughness and confidence.
In Finland, a scientist called Heikki Rusko has designed a "high-altitude
house". Although situated at sea level, the air inside the house is at normal pressure but modified to have a higher content of
nitrogen. This causes the oxygen concentration to be reduced to about 15.3% (below
the 21% at sea level) making it equivalent to around 8,200 ft. Athletes live and sleep inside the house but perform their
training outside (at normal pressure). Rusko's results show improvements of EPO and red-cell levels.
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