预计阅读本页时间：-
Athletic Use of Hyperbaric Chambers
For athletes who lived at higher altitudes, the use of the Gamow Bag, as it was first called, was significant. Athletes could spend forty-five minutes to an hour each day in this small plastic inflatable chamber with pressures similar to those about 5,000 feet lower and recover better from their daily training; it was especially helpful immediately before competition. This was important for athletes living or training at higher altitudes, as well as for those traveling to higher altitudes for a race.
The additional benefit was obvious: Athletes at any altitude could obtain the same relative benefits because the difference in pressure at lower altitudes made significant beneficial changes in the body. While at sea level, a short forty-five-minute stay in the hyperbaric chamber would still increase barometric pressure as if the athlete were much lower in altitude. This significantly increases the body’s oxygen uptake, even without adding additional oxygen to the chamber. And the effect lasts for hours and sometimes days after the athlete comes out of the chamber.
广告：个人专属 VPN，独立 IP，无限流量，多机房切换，还可以屏蔽广告和恶意软件，每月最低仅 5 美元
The original study on the body’s response to altitude changes appeared in the Journal of Applied Physiology in 1971. The researchers showed that oxygen uptake would increase 11 to 12 percent immediately after ascending in a deep mine of 5,784 feet (1,763 meters). This was dramatic and just what the mild hyperbaric chambers offered. For athletes, it was an incredible “therapy” and training aid. Within a couple of months, I began using the new hyperbaric chamber with many of the endurance athletes I was coaching. Since the chamber was portable—it was like a lightweight plastic bag with a small pump that all fit into a backpack—it was easy to bring to many endurance events around the world.
The athletic protocol I developed included using the chamber for forty-five-minute sessions (at a pressure of four pounds per square inch) to help recover from training and competition, and to use it several times the week of competition.
Question: I’m a young athlete hoping to turn professional in the sport of cycling. Before I spend thousands of dollars on a hyperbaric or hypobaric chamber, is there any certainty of benefits? I know a certain pedal system will help me ride faster, and certain drinks will give me energy for my long events. What about these chambers?
Answer: There’s no guarantee that certain pedals, energy drinks, or any other items will help you as an athlete during competition. The same is true for hyperbaric and hypobaric chambers. We do know that being inside a mild hyperbaric chamber will increase your oxygen uptake substantially. And we know that even with short-term use, a hypobaric chamber can increase EPO. However, the real question is, will these activities, and the potential benefits they provide, help your performance? Because so many factors affect how well you race, it’s difficult to say. For example, if your folic acid or vitamin B12 levels are low, higher EPO may not significantly increase red blood cells. Large controlled studies have not been done on endurance athletes using either hypobaric or hyperbaric chambers. Most importantly, it’s best to see these devices as part of a training program that includes other valuable components, such as building a great aerobic base, monitoring MAF Tests, optimizing nutrition, and other key factors.
