The Potential of a Low Oxygen Environmental Chamber as an Aid to Exercise Training to Improve Metabolic Health

Summary

Obesity is a major global health issue and a primary risk factor for metabolic-related disorders. While physical inactivity is one of the main contributors to obesity, it is a modifiable risk factor with exercise training as an established, non-pharmacological treatment to prevent the onset of metabolic-related disorders, including obesity. Exposure to hypoxia via normobaric hypoxia (simulated altitude via reduced inspired oxygen fraction), termed hypoxic conditioning, in combination with exercise has been increasingly shown in the last decade to enhance blood glucose regulation and decrease body mass index, providing a feasible strategy to treat obesity.

Nonetheless, findings from studies investigating the potential for a hypoxic environment to augment the exercise training response and subsequent metabolic health are equivocal. Notably, there is a paucity of information regarding the optimal combination of exercise variables and hypoxic load (i.e. level of hypoxia) to enable an individualized and safe practice of exercising in a hypoxic environment.

In the present randomized, single-blind, cross-over study, the investigators will investigate the effects of single-bout of exercise under normoxia (FiO2, 20.9%), moderate (FiO2, 16.5%) and high normobaric hypoxic conditions (FiO2, 14.8%) (60-min cycling session at 90% LT) on 2h OGTT and 24h-glucose level in individuals with overweight. The investigators hypothesize that exercise in combination with hypoxia improves glucose homeostasis in individuals with overweight.

Conditions

• Overweight
• Physical Inactivity
• Healthy

Interventions

OTHER

Low-moderate intensity exercise under normoxia

The participant will perform the exercise interventions consisting of cycling at the 90% lactate threshold at normoxia (fraction oxygen: 20.9%) for 60 minutes on separate days (5-7 days). Immediately after exercise oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and 24-hour glucose concentration will be monitored continuously. Pre, post and post-24 h circulatory markers will be determined.

OTHER

Low-moderate intensity exercise under moderate hypoxia

The participant will perform the exercise interventions consisting of cycling at the 90% lactate threshold at normoxia (fraction oxygen: 16.5%) for 60 minutes on separate days (5-7 days). Immediately after exercise oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and 24-hour glucose concentration will be monitored continuously. Pre, post and post-24 h circulatory markers will be determined.

OTHER

Low-moderate intensity exercise under high hypoxia

The participant will perform the exercise interventions consisting of cycling at the 90% lactate threshold at normoxia (fraction oxygen: 14.8%) for 60 minutes on separate days (5-7 days). Immediately after exercise oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and 24-hour glucose concentration will be monitored continuously. Pre, post and post-24 h circulatory markers will be determined.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Sports Institute of Malaysia

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Swinburne University of Technology

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Donny Camera, PhD · Swinburne University of Technology

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

SINGLE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

20 Years

Max Age

40 Years

Sex

MALE

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-06-03

Primary Completion

2022-03-17

Completion

2022-03-17

Countries

• Malaysia

Study Locations