Does altitude and hypoxia training have an impact on the athlete's endurance and power ability? A literature review

Study purpose. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of training at high altitudes and under hypoxic conditions on athletes' endurance and power capabilities. Methods. A literature review was conducted using POP software on Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar, focusing on studies published between 2020 and 2022 regarding altitude training and endurance. Key data extracted included author, sample characteristics, study design, training protocol, measurements, and study results. Thirteen articles were identified and analyzed to investigate the impact of low-oxygen training on athletes' physical capacity. Results. The literature review indicated that altitude and hypoxia training can increase anaerobic capacity, total hemoglobin mass (tHb), and peak aerobic performance in athletes. However, significant variation was observed in individual responses to such training, indicating that not all athletes respond the same way to similar training conditions. Conclusions. Training at altitude and under hypoxic conditions can provide significant physiological benefits, but responses to this training vary among individuals.