As cooperation partner of the University of Innsbruck, our Institute offers the perfect setting to conduct scientific studies with variable altitudes up to 6000m. Currently, our 3 hypoxic chambers are used for a pre-acclimatization study in order to assess the prevention of acute mountain sickness (AMS) in normobaric hypoxia. Assoz. Prof. Mag. Dr. Martin Faulhaber leads the study group from the Institute of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck.

Pre-acclimatization serves the purpose of preventing the manifestation of AMS. Symptoms of AMS are among others headache, dizziness, nausea, loss of appetite and fatigue/weakness. Depending on the degree of AMS, cognitive and motoric performance are severely disturbed. Most commercially guided tours to greater altitudes offer continuous acclimatization on the mountain, in order to reduce the risk of AMS. A study lead by Beidlemann et al (2018) recently showed, that only 2 days of pre-acclimatization at 3000m and 3500m in terrestrial altitude are enough to reduce the risk of AMS significantly during a follow-up stay at 4300m. Pre-acclimatization in normobaric hypoxia, as we offer it at the Hermann-Buhl-Institute, is logistically more practicable and easier to realize compared to terrestrial altitude.

Therefore, the aim of the study is, to investigate the effect of 2 pre-acclimatization nights on the incidence and manifestation of AMS during a following 22-hours exposition period to 4300m normobaric hypoxia.

Participants aged 18 to 30 years were recruited for the study. The first group of participants completed two pre-acclimatization nights at 3000m and 3500m. Immediately afterwards, a 22-hours stay at 4300m altitude was performed.

During the 22-hours stay, participants completed submaximal endurance tests. Each participant underwent an ergometry on a bicycle with measurements of lactate. These tests were previously conducted in normoxia and repeated during the altitude stay.

The second group of participants will be tested in the following 2 weeks. This group does not absolve two pre-acclimatization nights, but will stay at 4300m for 22 hours right from the start. This group will also complete submaximal endurance tests in order to compare parameters of exercise capacity with and without pre-acclimatization nights.

In the first group, mild symptoms of AMS already appeared. We are looking forward to the results of AMS manifestation in the second group!