Simulated altitude training

As part of my uni course I looked at simulated altitute methods within one of my modules, and although there wasn't any published studies on its performance benefits, it did seem that simulated altitude could stimulate erythropoetin release which is essentially one of the benefits of altitude.

Silly question: How do you simulate high altitude training?

Well hopefully not that silly as there are lots of companies and studies that reference simulated altitude training. Nike spent 12 million on a chamber for Project Oregon. What I was wondering was if it does any good. And if so who should use it.

High altitude training changes the partial pressure of the oxygen and other air contents. When people say the air is thinner and harder to breath, it is because the pressure of the oxygen at altitude is different to that of sea level.

Simulating this is normally done by reducing the oxygen content of the air breathed not actually the pressure of the air (I think?!).

Working like this stimulates the increase of red blood cells (RBC) as less oxygen is reaching the the existing content of RBC due to the decrease in partial pressure. So instead of the body having to breath deeper and more rapid, the body increases numbers of RBC to compensate.

This is good for endurance events as it means when you return to sea level, the greater number of RBCs allow a potential increase in oxygen being carried to working muscles etc than prior.

Can take several weeks to acclimitise and reep the benefits and each individual has a different level ot altitude/simulated altitute to gain the best benefit. A physiologist I spoke to a while back said that it is resting and living in the altitude which is better than actually training at that altitude. Not sure if correct but what was told.

Plenty of research and articles on the net to look up info on it.

Please have a look at www.altitudecentre.com All your questions should be answered here. scientific papers are also included for your reference.