Int J Sports Med 1980; 01(4): 191-198
DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1034658
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Altitude Acclimatization in Skiing Lowlanders

D. Böning, F. Trost, K.-M. Braumann, H. Bitter, K. Bender, A. von zur Mühlen, U. Schweigart
  • Abt. Sport- und Arbeitsphysiologie und Abt. Klinische Endokrinologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover and II. Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München
Supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Bo 360/4 and 4 z.
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Publication History

Publication Date:
14 March 2008 (online)

Abstract

Influences exerted by altitude were investigated in eight male and three female physical education students (age 26 ± 1 SE years) during and after a ski course lasting 2 weeks.

Measurements of acid-base status, oxygen dissociation curve (ODC), and different constituents of blood were performed before ascent at Hannover (55 m above sea level), after 7 and 14 days in the mountains (2200 m), and after 5, 11, and 17 days back at Hannover. Physical performance was tested at Hannover only. No significant alkalosis was observed at altitude; the red cell pH decreased by 0.05 units. In vitro buffering of blood against CO2 (-Δ[HCO- 3]/ΔpH) improved remarkably at the end of the mountain stay by 14 mmol/1; similarly, in vivo Δ[Lac]/ΔpH of blood was increased by 11 mmol/1 during the 1st week after return. The ODC showed an elevation of the standard half saturation pressure (P50, pH 7.4) at altitude from 3.75 + 0.08 to 3.98 ± 0.03 kPa.

The cause was a changed Donnan equilibrium of the erythrocytes resulting from increased 2,3-diphosphoglycerate and decreased potassium concentrations. After return to Hannover the slope n of the ODC rose from 2.7 ± 0.1 to 3.1 ± 0.1, possibly because of a greater percentage of young red cells. The changes of buffering and ODC might contribute to a slightly improved exercise performance after the altitude stay.

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