Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Hypoxic training in combined with exercise training can increase the hypoxia levels of the body to mobilize the potentials of the body, resist to and actively adapt physiological responses resulted from hypoxia, so as to improve athletic performance.
OBJECTIVE: To summarize the influence of hypoxic training on skeletal muscle structure and function, to provide a theoretical basis and guidance for hypoxic training.
METHODS: Using “hypoxic training, skeletal muscle, function, structure” in English as the search terms, PubMed database was retrieved from 1990 to March 2009; Using “hypoxic training, skeletal muscle, function and structure” in Chinese as the search terms, CNKI database was searched from 2000 to May 2009. Literatures are limited to English and Chinese languages. The content related to the effect of hypoxic training on skeletal muscle structure and function was selected, and repetitive researches were eliminated.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Totally 144 literatures were obtained from computer screening, and then analyzed according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Hypoxic training could avoid the disadvantages caused by conventional altitude training, the hypoxia environment is regulated according to the body's ability to adapt hypoxia, the normal training is ensured, so that skeletal muscle obtains beneficial physiological adaptation. Compared with pure hypoxia stimulation, different forms of hypoxia and different training methods may integrate into different modes of hypoxic training, which makes skeletal muscle function and structure more complex. The combination form of hypoxia and training is the main factor of the effect of hypoxia training on skeletal muscle function and structure. Different objects of experiments and test methods are likely to interfere with the conclusions, which also affect the mechanism of the role of hypoxic training on skeletal muscle.