Hyperbaric VO2max Study

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study seeks to examine the effectiveness of training while in a hyperoxic-hyperbaric environment for exercise performance at altitude. Subjects will complete a short, high-intensity interval training (HIT) program inside the hyperbaric chamber.Before and after this training phase, all subjects will be tested for maximum aerobic capacity at a simulated high altitude of 15,000ft in a hypobaric chamber, as well as for molecular markers of mitochondrial oxidative capacity in a skeletal muscle biopsy. A group of individuals of similar characteristics completing this training program in a normoxic-normobaric environment will serve as a control.

Official Title
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Effects of High Intensity Interval Training in a Hyperoxic-hyperbaric Environment on Exercise Performance at Altitude

Conditions
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Exercise Training

Intervention / Treatment
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* Procedure: Hyperoxic hyperbaric interval exercise training
* Procedure: Normoxic, normobaric, interval exercise training
* Drug: Oxygen


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: healthy, recreationally active or sedentary individuals Exclusion Criteria: VO2max < 35 ml/kg/min - male 30 ml/kg/min - female chronic cardiovascular or pulmonary diseases history of pneumothorax active smoker pregnant women non-english speaking not in full mental capacity blind sickle cell trait or disease

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 35 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Other
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Hyperoxic, Hyperbaric<br>Hyperoxic hyperbaric interval exercise training Six sessions of 30 min.of High-intensity interval training completed on a 3-times a week basis at 1.4 ATA of oxygen in a hyperbaric chamber. | Procedure: Hyperoxic hyperbaric interval exercise training<br>* Six 30-min high-intensity interval training sessions completed 3-times a week while at 1.4 ATA of oxygen in a hyperbaric chamber.<br>Drug: Oxygen<br>* Used in Hyperoxic hyperbaric interval exercise training intervention<br>|
| Sham Comparator: Normoxic, Normobaric<br>Normoxic, normobaric, interval exercise training Six sessions of 30 min.of High-intensity interval training completed on a 3-times a week basis. | Procedure: Normoxic, normobaric, interval exercise training<br>* Six 30-min high-intensity interval training sessions completed 3-times a week.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in Maximum Aerobic Capacity (VO2max) From Baseline to Post-training (< 72 Hours ) | Graded exercise test to exhaustion at simulated 15000 ft altitude | Baseline and <72 hrs Post-training | 
| Change in Ventilatory Threshold (VT) From Baseline to Post-training (<72 Hours) | Graded exercise test to exhaustion at simulated 15000 ft altitude | Baseline and <72 hrs Post-training | 
| Mitochondrial Mass Change | Immunofluorescence microscopy using citrate synthase staining | Baseline/24 hrs Post-training | 
| Tfam Muscle Protein Content Change | Western analysis | Baseline/24 hrs Post-training | 
| Pgc-1a Coactivator Muscle Protein Content Change | Western analysis | Baseline/24 hrs Post-training | 
| COX-I Gene Expression Change | Real-time PCR | Baseline/24 hrs Post-training | 
| Muscle Phenotype Change | Immunofluorescence microscopy using citrate synthase staining | Baseline/24 hrs Post-training | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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interval training, hyperbaric oxygen, VO2 max, altitude, exercise performance, mitochondrial oxidative capacity, mitochondrial biogenesis