Variabilities in oxidative stress during prolonged stay in simulated hypoxic environment

Introduction

Japan Institute of Sports Sciences (JISS) has equipped with an artificial hypoxic training facilities and accomodations which can simulate altitude training even staying at sea level, as in Tokyo. This resaearch project intended to investigate the effective leverage of these artificial hypoxic devices. Thus, the purpose of this study is to comprehend the physical condition of the athletes during prolonged stay in simulated hypoxic environment. We biochemistry lab. focused on the variabilities in oxdative stress during prolonged stay in simulated hypoxic environment.

Materials and Methods

For 30 days in JISS, 10 volunteers (male, college distance runners) stayed in hypoxic accommodations (14.5% O2) and engaged the running training in hypoxic training facilities (14.5% O2). Participants are divided to the following groups – LHTL (Live High Train Low), LHTH (Live High Train High) and LLTL (Live Low Train Low = Control). The samples (blood and urine) were taken on 1, 5, 9, 17 and 29th day. We measured the oxidative stress biomarkers, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), N-(hexanonyl) lysine (HEL) and glutathione (Glu), by EIA or ELISA method.

Results and discussion

The results were that the oxidative stress 1) increased on the 1st day, 2) once decreased approximate on the 5th day, 3) progressively increased after the 17th day. These results suggest that oxidative stress is not constant but variable during long-term stay in simulated hypoxia.