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If you're travelling to higher altitude or using [[Altitude Training]] to improve performance, it's worth understanding the science of how altitude effects athletes. The key takeaways are that acclimation takes about two weeks and most people will benefit from iron supplements, ideally starting weeks or months before altitude exposure. (Iron supplements should be taken under medical supervision and iron levels checked regularly. I use [https://www.walkinlab.com/ferritinserumtest.html Walk In Labs] to check my Serum Ferritin levels.)
=The Effects of Altitude=
* At altitude there is lower air pressure. This lower pressure means that each lung full of air has less oxygen (lower partial pressure of O2). This results in lower oxygen saturation in the blood (Hypoxia).
# "I had to be evacuated to a lower altitude."
=Effects of hypoxia=
Low levels of SpO<sub>2</sub> effect effect brain functioning as shown in the following table<ref name="Anesthesia"/>.
{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
! style="background-color: #F2F2F2;" |SpO<sub>2</sub>
| style="background-color: #F9F9F9;" |60-40%
| style="background-color: #F9F9F9;" |Severe hypoxia
| style="background-color: #F9F9F9;" |[[Muscle]] paralysisparalysis
| style="background-color: #F9F9F9;" |Apparent unconsciousness.
|-
! style="background-color: #F2F2F2;" |'''Air Pressure(mmHg)'''
! style="background-color: #F2F2F2;" |'''Oxygen Pressure(mmHg)'''
! style="background-color: #F2F2F2;" |''' % of sea level Oxygen'''
! style="background-color: #F2F2F2;" |'''Equivalent O2 partial
pressure at sea level'''
| style="background-color: #F9F9F9;" |68
| style="background-color: #F9F9F9;" |14.2
| style="background-color: #F9F9F9;" |86.4 4 % (+/- 4.8%)
| style="background-color: #F9F9F9;" |90.2% (+/-2.7%)
|-