Abstract
Background
Intermittent normobaric hypoxia training, an alternative to altitude training for athletes, may be beneficial to treat overweight and obesity. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether normobaric hypoxia training combined with low-caloric diet has the additive effect on weight loss compared with normoxia training in obese young adults.
Methods
Twenty-two subjects (age 17–25 years, body mass index >27.5 kg/m2) were recruited for a 4-week residential camp of weight loss with low caloric intake, and trained at 60–70 % maximal heart rate of aerobics and 40–50 % of maximal strength of training. They were randomly assigned to either a normobaric hypoxia (HT, FiO2 = 16.4–14.5 %) or normoxia training group (NT, FiO2 = 21 %), and subjects in HT and NT groups experienced weekly 16-h normoxia and 6-h hypoxia or 22-h normoxia training, respectively. Body composition, resting blood pressure (BP) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) were determined before and after the intervention.
Results
Weight loss was found in HT (−6.9 kg or −7.0 %, p < 0.01) and NT groups (−4.3 kg or −4.2 %, p < 0.01) significantly, and the former lost more weight than the latter (p < 0.01). Hypoxia training improved systolic BP (−7.6 %) and mean BP (−7.1 %) significantly (p < 0.05) despite having no effect on baPWV.
Conclusion
Four weeks of normobaric hypoxia residential training with low caloric diet has an additive improvement on weight loss. It seems that normobaric hypoxia training might be a promising method to treat obesity.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cooper JN, Buchanich JM, Youk A, Brooks MM, Barinas-Mitchell E, Conroy MB, Sutton-Tyrrell K (2012) Reductions in arterial stiffness with weight loss in overweight and obese young adults: potential mechanisms. Atherosclerosis 223(2):485–490
Kayser B, Verges S (2013) Hypoxia, energy balance and obesity: from pathophysiological mechanisms to new treatment strategies. Obes Rev 14(7):579–592
Miyaki A, Maeda S, Yoshizawa M, Misono M, Saito Y, Sasai H, Kim MK, Nakata Y, Tanaka K, Ajisaka R (2009) Effect of habitual aerobic exercise on body weight and arterial function in overweight and obese men. Am J Cardiol 104(6):823–828
Park MJ, Paul Mulye TP, Adams SH, Brindis CD, Irwin CE Jr (2006) The health status of young adults in the United States. J Adolesc Health 39(3):305–317
Lippl FJ, Neubauer S, Schipfer S, Lichter N, Tufman A, Otto B, Fischer R (2010) Hypobaric hypoxia causes body weight reduction in obese subjects. Obesity (Silver Spring) 18(4):675–681
Netzer NC, Chytra R, Küpper T (2008) Low intense physical exercise in normobaric hypoxia leads to more weight loss in obese people than low intense physical exercise in normobaric sham hypoxia. Sleep Breath 12(2):129–134
Wiesner S, Haufe S, Engeli S, Mutschler H, Haas U, Luft FC, Jordan J (2010) Influences of normobaric hypoxia training on physical fitness and metabolic risk markers in overweight to obese subjects. Obesity (Silver Spring) 18(1):116–120
Donnelly JE, Blair SN, Jakicic JM, Manore MM, Rankin JW, Smith BK (2009) American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. Appropriate physical activity intervention strategies for weight loss and prevention of weight regain for adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc 41(2):459–471
Bailey DM, Davies B, Baker J (2000) Training in hypoxia: modulation of metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors in men. Med Sci Sports Exerc 32(6):1058–1066
Haufe S, Wiesner S, Engeli S, Luft FC, Jordan J (2008) Influences of normobaric hypoxia training on physical fitness and metabolic risk markers in human subjects. Med Sci Sports Exerc 40(11):1939–1944
Huelsing J, Kanafani N, Mao J, White NH (2010) Camp Jump Start: effects of a residential summer weight-loss camp for older children and adolescents. Pediatrics 125(4):e884–e890
Lobstein T, Baur L, Uauy R (2004) Obesity in children and young people: a crisis in public health. Obes Rev 5(Suppl. 1):S4–S104
Sjöström M, Karlsson AB, Kaati G, Yngve A, Green LW, Bygren LO (1999) A four week residential program for primary health care patients to control obesity and related heart risk factors: effective application of principles of learning and lifestyle change. Eur J Clin Nutr 53(Suppl 2):S72–S77
WHO Expert Consultation (2004) Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implication for policy and intervention strategies. Lancet 363(9403):157–163
Quintero P, Milagro FI, Campión J, Martínez JA (2010) Impact of oxygen availability on body weight management. Med Hypotheses 74(5):901–907
Stanfield P, Hui YH (2009) Nutrition and diet therapy: self-instructional approaches, 5th edn. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury
Chuang SY, Chen CH, Cheng CM, Chou P (2005) Combined use of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and ankle-brachial index for fast assessment of arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis in a community. Int J Cardiol 98(1):99–105
Otsuki T, Maeda S, Iemitsu M, Saito Y, Tanimura Y, Ajisaka R, Miyauchi T (2007) Relationship between arterial stiffness and athletic training programs in young adult men. Am J Hypertens 20(9):967–973
Kirk RE (1996) Practical significance: a concept whose time has come. Educ Psychol Meas 56(5):746–759
Stiegler P, Cunliffe A (2006) The role of diet and exercise for the maintenance of fat-free mass and resting metabolic rate during weight loss. Sport Med 36(3):239–262
Urdampilleta A, González-Muniesa P, Portillo MP, Martínez JA (2012) Usefulness of combining intermittent hypoxia and physical exercise in the treatment of obesity. J Physiol Biochem 68(2):289–304
Ostadal B, Kolar F (2007) Cardiac adaptation to chronic high-altitude hypoxia: beneficial and adverse effects. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 158(2–3):224–236
Cortez-Cooper MY, DeVan AE, Anton MM, Farrar RP, Beckwith KA, Todd JS, Tanaka H (2005) Effects of high intensity resistance training on arterial stiffness and wave reflection in women. Am J Hypertens 18(7):930–934
Keogh JB, Brinkworth GD, Noakes M, Belobrajdic DP, Buckley JD, Clifton PM (2008) Effects of weight loss from a very-low-carbohydrate diet on endothelial function and markers of cardiovascular disease risk in subjects with abdominal obesity. Am J Clin Nutr 87(3):567–576
Kakiyama T, Sugawara J, Murakami H, Maeda S, Kuno S, Matsuda M (2005) Effects of short-term endurance training on aortic distensibility in young males. Med Sci Sports Exerc 37(2):267–271
Levine BD, Stray-Gundersen J, Gore CJ, Hopkins GW (2005) Point: Counterpoint: Positive effects of intermittent hypoxia (live high: train low) on exercise are/are not mediated primarily by augmented red cell volume. J Appl Physiol l99(5):2053–2058
Fletcher EC (2001) Invited review: physiological consequences of intermittent hypoxia: systemic blood pressure. J Appl Physiol 90(4):1600–1605
Gilmartin GS, Lynch M, Tamisier R, Weiss JW (2010) Chronic intermittent hypoxia in humans during 28 nights results in blood pressure elevation and increased muscle sympathetic nerve activity. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 299(3):H925–H931
Acknowledgements
The study was supported by a research grant from the University of Macau (MYRG027(Y1-L1)-FED11-KZW).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kong, Z., Zang, Y. & Hu, Y. Normobaric hypoxia training causes more weight loss than normoxia training after a 4-week residential camp for obese young adults. Sleep Breath 18, 591–597 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-013-0922-4
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-013-0922-4