Study says altitude training doesn't work
Source: Agencies |
May 13, 2012, Sunday
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Print Edition
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ATHLETES considering high altitude training in an attempt to boost their medal chances at the London Olympics might want to think twice: a recent medical study suggests it doesn't work.
Altitude training has been widely used by athletes in several sports, including the England soccer team, the United States speedskating team, cyclists and tennis player Novak Djokovic.
Many past studies have shown high altitude training works to increase athletes' endurance and in a recent Swiss study, researchers set out to explain why it does. Instead, they found no evidence that it did.
"I was really surprised and frustrated," said lead author Carsten Lundby of the University of Zurich.
Some scientists say any benefit is probably a placebo effect and say athletes are probably better off sticking to their regular regime before the London Games. Still, many top coaches are believers and have no plans to change pre-Olympic plans.
Ian Stewart, head of endurance running for the British team, said his country's best runners spend up to six months a year at a high altitude. "We think it's very valuable," Stewart said. He cited the world championship victories of distance runner Mo Farah and world marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe - both of whom regularly do altitude training - as evidence.
"If I turned to everyone and said they wouldn't be doing altitude training, they would not be very happy," Stewart said. He said the team has several more altitude camps scheduled before the Olympics start.
The World Anti-Doping Agency has previously considered whether to ban altitude training but decided not to.
Past studies have shown athletes who do altitude training often get a performance edge by increasing the number of red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body. But those studies weren't done in top athletes and mostly didn't include a proper control group. Altitude training typically means living at a high altitude, about 2400 meters, but coming down to sea level to train.
Altitude training has been widely used by athletes in several sports, including the England soccer team, the United States speedskating team, cyclists and tennis player Novak Djokovic.
Many past studies have shown high altitude training works to increase athletes' endurance and in a recent Swiss study, researchers set out to explain why it does. Instead, they found no evidence that it did.
"I was really surprised and frustrated," said lead author Carsten Lundby of the University of Zurich.
Some scientists say any benefit is probably a placebo effect and say athletes are probably better off sticking to their regular regime before the London Games. Still, many top coaches are believers and have no plans to change pre-Olympic plans.
Ian Stewart, head of endurance running for the British team, said his country's best runners spend up to six months a year at a high altitude. "We think it's very valuable," Stewart said. He cited the world championship victories of distance runner Mo Farah and world marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe - both of whom regularly do altitude training - as evidence.
"If I turned to everyone and said they wouldn't be doing altitude training, they would not be very happy," Stewart said. He said the team has several more altitude camps scheduled before the Olympics start.
The World Anti-Doping Agency has previously considered whether to ban altitude training but decided not to.
Past studies have shown athletes who do altitude training often get a performance edge by increasing the number of red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body. But those studies weren't done in top athletes and mostly didn't include a proper control group. Altitude training typically means living at a high altitude, about 2400 meters, but coming down to sea level to train.
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