Hypoxic Training

[Rando21]

Anyone heard anything about using hypoxic training to help with anemia from CLL? I guess hypoxic training can be achieved a number of ways including altitude or the use of a mask. From what I have read it increases hemoglobin. I’ve also read at some point a lack of hemoglobin will likely become an issue as CLL progresses.

I brought this up to my care team and they basically said not to try it. Thing is I live in a high altitude city and often hike. So, if it’s not advisable to use hypoxic training I sorta wonder if it’s not advisable to be in higher altitudes as well. Especially on hikes and things of that nature.

[AussieNeil Administrator]

Wikipedia covers the effects of hypoxia on the human body fairly well, explaining how it adapts along with the risks of living or working at higher altitudes: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eff...

Note: "Research also indicates elevated risk of permanent brain damage in people climbing to above 5,500 m."

Given you already live in a high altitude city, your body will have already have made these adaptions. It's very important to appreciate that CLL bone marrow infiltration with CLL progression fundamentally limits your absolute body's capacity to manufacture red blood cells. You can observe the adaptions made to falling red blood cell production by tracking changes in your Hematocrit/Packed Cell Volume, Mean Corpuscular Volume, Red Blood Cell Distribution Width, Mean Corpuscular Hematocrit and Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration.

Don't underestimate the contribution that improving your fitness by hiking, etc., can make to your overall health. Your cardiovascular system is adaptable too through adjustments to your heart and pulse, mitigating to some extent any effects from worsening anaemia. I found doing hill climbs on my bicycle reduced my breathlessness on exertion, but other bursts of intense exercise should also help.

Neil

[LeoPa]

My take is that all kinds of training are inducing mild or more severe hypoxia. Even in healthy patients. That is why the pulse goes up. The body is trying to transport more oxygen to the tissues . My rule of thumb is that if I do cardio I keep my pulse at about 120 and not higher. If I do high intensity short bursts the pulse does go higher but only for a short time. I have not noticed any detrimental effects quite the contrary.