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ASU Paw Print

The Effect of Altitude

Updated: Apr 19, 2023

Paw Print Editor: Brianna Robles

Alamosa Colorado is a place that has a level of elevation of precisely 7,544 feet, as we are a valley surrounded by mountains. Although, as athletes there is some benefits that come from training in a place with a high elevation. What the altitude does for athletes who spend a period of time training in areas like Alamosa, is it begins to decrease the amount of oxygen that will be delivered to our bodies through exercise. Through the process of training or working out, our bodies are able to respond to the decrease of oxygen our muscles are receiving as we are able to burn fuel but leads to also creating energy.

When athletes first arrive at a place with high elevation for the first time there are some challenges that present themselves before it becomes beneficial for the athlete. The time varies for each individual on when they will fully be able to acclimate to the high altitude. Although, once the athlete is able to acclimate well to high altitude, they will be able to begin to produce more red blood cells, which then will allow their bodies to be able to carry more oxygen in their blood. The red blood cells that the athlete begins to produce remains in their body for up to twenty days. Most of the athletes that would develop from training at high altitude are distance runners, swimmers, and basically any sport that requires endurance.

Since there is such high elevation in this area what the body is trying to do is working hard to deliver the oxygen that is necessary for our bodies to perform. When athletes such as distance runners train for a period of time in high altitude challenges their body to work hard to naturally boost our muscles when there is more oxygen available like when at sea level. What this process also does is helps athletes improve their VO2 Max (maximal oxygen Consumption), which calculate the amount of oxygen our bodies use during exercise.

Our VO2 Max is an important tool for endurance athletes because of the energy that is generated aerobically through exercise produces glycolysis, which is a way of our bodies to produce more energy. In a sense it can be looked at in the perspective that the higher an athletes VO2 Max, more energy will be able to be supplied to the body enhancing their overall performance. That being said with an area of high altitude allows the athlete to develop more aerobically.

Athletes who don’t normally train at high altitude may find it difficult to perform well for the simple fact that it becomes difficult for them to breathe due to the fact that the oxygen molecules are less dense. There is a lot of pressure that id developed in the air, which is why the body demand more oxygen, that is why it appears difficult to breathe if one is not acclimated to altitude. Overall, altitude may be difficult to adjust to in the beginning but once athletes are able to acclimate, they will then be able to benefit from training at high altitude.

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