Training to prepare for oxygen deficiency in the high mountains
I would like to prepare myself for the climb in the high mountains (for now by "high mountains" I mean elevation 4000 m and more, but eventually eight-thousanders).
What can I do to improve my general physical condition specifically for this purpose (oxygen deficiency)?
I am asking about both types of physical activity, as well as training methods (in the countryside and in the city). The question is only about physical condition (not strength), I've seen similar questions here but they weren't specifically related to dealing with low oxygen levels.
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I thought that a sportsman has more red blood cells because his body needs more oxygen during peak performance. Working out uses up oxygen, and breathing hard is required to get more oxygen into your body. This demand for oxygen stimulates red blood cell production, and lowers the age of red blood cells. The result is that a sportsman has more oxygen carrying capacity. Therefore an athlete can deal better with low oxygen at high altitude.
However, it has no effect on high altitude disease, which is caused by the pressure difference.
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Acclimatization is the most common technique. Altitude sickness occurs at 2,400 m, so you go to a base camp (for example Cuzco if you're doing the Incan trail, or the South/North Base camps for Everest) and you let your body adjust to the altitude over a few days although it can easily take a week.
However, acclimatizing has its limits, somewhere between 5,000 and 8,000m any length of time is detrimental due to the decrease in air pressure, so you can't just climb half-way up Everest, spend a week resting and the kick it for the last part, you'll be worse off after that week than when you began.
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To deal with low oxygen environments you need more red blood cells. To get more red blood cells you have very few options.
- Blood doping
- Low pressure chamber treatments
- Actually going into higher altitudes on a regular basis (I recommend this one)
Make sure your diet has enough iron to support the red blood cell production. However, iron by itself is not enough. You have to put yourself in the environment that triggers your body to create the extra red blood cells.
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