Study note • PMID 30425646
Preparation for Endurance Competitions at Altitude: Physiological, Psychological, Dietary and Coaching Aspects. A Narrative Review.
Worth trying if it fits your goal and context.
ELI5
In plain language
It was the Summer Olympic Games 1968 held in Mexico City (2,300 m) that required scientists and coaches to cope with the expected decline of performance in endurance athletes… (narrative review; athletes).
In this narrative review, the abstract is mixed or unclear for Time-trial performance. Treat this as a signal, not a guarantee; confirm methods and context in the full paper.
Takeaways
What the abstract suggests
- • Study question: It was the Summer Olympic Games 1968 held in Mexico City (2,300 m) that required scientists and coaches to cope with the expected decline of performance in endurance athletes…
- • In this narrative review, the abstract is mixed or unclear for Time-trial performance.
- • Population: athletes.
- • Protocol cues (title/abstract): 300 m.
Protocol
Protocol (as reported)
- • Intervention/exposure: altitude, acclimatization.
- • Dose/time/duration cues in abstract/title: 300 m.
- • Outcomes: VO₂max, Time-trial performance.
- • Replication note: abstracts often omit adherence and timing; confirm details before changing training or supplementation.
Fit
Who it helps, and who should skip it
Who it helps
- • Athletes similar to the study population (athletes) working on altitude.
- • Athletes who can measure VO₂max, Time-trial performance with a repeatable workout or time-trial effort.
Who should skip
- • If you have symptoms or conditions that make the intervention risky, get professional guidance.
- • If you’re near race day and can’t safely test, defer the experiment.
Methods
What the study actually did
- • Design: narrative review.
- • Population: athletes.
- • Outcomes measured: VO₂max, Time-trial performance.
- • Protocol cues mentioned: 300 m.
- • Source: PubMed PMID 30425646 (2018) — Frontiers in physiology.
Results excerpt
What the abstract reports
“From that period until now many different recommendations for altitude acclimatization in advance of an altitude competition were proposed, ranging from several hours to several weeks.”
Note: excerpts are short; for full context, read the paper.
Limits
Limitations & bias
- • Abstract-only summaries can miss critical details (population, protocol, adherence, and context).
- • Reviews and consensus statements mix protocols and populations; recommendations may not match your exact constraints.
- • If your context differs (elite vs recreational; cycling vs running), adjust expectations and be conservative.
- • This is performance information, not medical advice.
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