quick altitude acclimation

September 15, 2005 8:49 AM

Thin air. I need advice on engaging in strenuous exercise immediately after arriving at a high altitude (Aspen, CO 7822 ft) from a low one (Lawrence, KS 830 ft).

I play for KU Rugby, and we’re attending a tournament in Aspen this weekend. I have a test tomorrow (Friday) morning, so I’ll be hitching a ride up with one of my coaches around noon, and our first match will be Saturday in the early afternoon. Rugby matches consist of two 40 minute periods with a short break in between, and I’ll likely be playing two games. I have experience dealing with high altitude; I’ve hiked a dozen 14ers in Colorado, but I always take things really easy on the first day up, whereas I need to be balls-to-the-wall exerting myself on Saturday. Although I’m in very good shape and have a low body fat percentage (~9%), I weigh 265 pounds and already have problems with endurance at low altitudes. Or rather, my endurance compared to that of many (lighter) teammates is relatively low. Does anyone have advice on forcing one’s body to acclimate more quickly, to produce more red blood cells and such, or any advice on just dealing with it? How big of an effect will this altitude change actually have? I’ve heard that you lose about 1% of your V02 capacity per 100 meters.

posted by Derive the Hamiltonian of... to sports, hobbies, & recreation (7 comments total)

This? Try their FAQ. Scroll down to "Q: Can POWERbreathe improve breathing at high altitude?" I don't have one but perhaps there is a way to mimic the effect? For some reason I'm thinking of one of those thicker straws from a fast food place.
posted by jwells at 9:12 AM on September 15, 2005

Keep your carbs and liquid intake up.
Bring oxygen.
Sleep in a hypoxic tent for the week prior.
Take Diamox (if allowed) EPO would probably really work, but is definitely not allowed.
posted by caddis at 9:21 AM on September 15, 2005

I have a hard time adjusting to changes in pressure (this is why I no longer scubadive, for example; equalizing takes way too long for me). When I went to Santa Fe a few years ago, I started to experience all kinds of heart palpitations etc the higher up I went. The concierge at the hotel recommended chlorophyll - they sold it in dropper bottles for $4 or so.

I googled to find some support for this and found this on an acupuncture site:

High amounts of green leafy vegetables and other chlorophyll-rich foods (wheat grass, barley grass) increase hemoglobin levels and carry oxygen from lungs to tissues.

It absolutely did the trick for me, right away. Cheap, easy, and I don't see how it could hurt - though IANAD.
posted by widdershins at 9:35 AM on September 15, 2005

Fully acclimatizing to a new altitude will take weeks (80% acclimatization in 6-10 days, the last 20% could take up to six weeks), so all you can do is ameliorate the symptoms of high altitude. Drink lots (your blood will become alkali and the volume will be reduced at a higher altitude until you acclimatize, and the drinking can help this). Eat, even if your appetite is diminished (which is not an uncommon problem at altitude). Stop the exertion immediately if you begin to feel disoriented or have an ataxic gait.

But, to answer your question, NO, there is no way to acclimatize more quickly, from the medical literature I have read regarding high altitude mountaineering. But, Aspen isn't too terribly high, so hopefully it won't be that bad (at least severe altitude problems are rare below 8000 ft). The things that helps climbers are a gradual increase in elevation and to "climb high" and "sleep low." That is, exert yourself at a higher altitude than you sleep at. I don't know if that applies in any way for you, though. Indeed, most of the methods of acclimatization won't work if you fly into Aspen.

It is something to think about in competitive sports. Folks in Aspen really have an unfair home-field advantage. Same goes for the Denver Broncos. 4 out of 5 of the endurance races at the Mexico City Olympics (~ 7200 ft) were won by people that lived at high altitude. It was not a coincidence.
posted by teece at 10:15 AM on September 15, 2005

Regarding the "climb high, sleep low" advice - see if you can stay in Glenwood Springs. It's literally down the road (less than an hour), and sits at about 5900 feet alt. You'll find that will REALLY help.
Also take heart in knowing that even folks who do lots of working out at high altitudes can be stricken with altitude sickness - there's no reliable predictor.
posted by dbmcd at 11:37 AM on September 15, 2005

What you're planning to do is more than a little dangerous, I think. Keep tabs on your condition. If you start getting short of breath or dizzy, take a break, and if that doesn't fix it, don't go back on the field. High-altitude pulmonary edema and cerebral edema kill people.

If I had to do this, I'd load up on Diamox and Prednisone, which I would take throughout the high-altitude stay. But I'm not *your* doctor; she's the person you should be asking about this.
posted by ikkyu2 at 9:37 PM on September 15, 2005

Oh, and don't drink any alcohol at high altitude until you're acclimatized. Just trust me on this one.
posted by ikkyu2 at 9:38 PM on September 15, 2005