Hypoxia is a phenomenon of oxygen deficit in tissues in relation to oxygen demand, leading to deteriorated oxygenation in the body. Beneficial effects of hypoxia have been known for many years, and athletes often choose to train at the higher parts of the mountains to improve their physical performance. Spending several weeks in such conditions makes the body increase its physical capacity, which significantly improves athletic performance.
This improved effect in the form of slight hypoxia forces special adaptations in the body, which in lowland conditions leads to the increase in physical capabilities.
The first devices that induced hypoxia appeared in the late 1990s. With these solutions, it became possible to induce body responses in lowland conditions similar to those observed in high mountainous areas.
With AirZone, you don’t need to leave for high-mountain camps as the same effects can be achieved in specially adapted rooms.
How it works?
By reducing the blood and tissue oxygen saturation, several physiological body responses are induced to improve oxygen supply. The primary response is an increase in the secretion of the hormone erythropoietin (EPO) in the kidneys, which is responsible for the increased production of red blood cells in the bone marrow.
Consequently, blood hemoglobin levels rise, leading to the increased oxygen transport to working muscles.
In the muscles themselves, new blood vessels are formed (angiogenesis) or an increase in the activity of oxidative enzymes used to generate energy during physical exercise is observed.
With these adaptive mechanisms, the use of oxygen supplied with blood to muscles is improved. By applying hypoxia, the improvements in oxygen transport in the body and its utilization in tissues are also observed.
Laboratory tests have shown that the use of hypoxia offers the opportunities for 10% improvement of the body’s physical capacity, leading to significantly higher sports performance