SAFETY OF ALTITUDE SIMULATION IN HORSES

Safety of Altitude Simulation Systems vs. rhEPO Use in Horses
In an effort to emulate the physiological benefits of altitude simulation there has been a surge in the use of human recombinant erythropoietin (rhEPO) in sport horses. Beyond the fact that the use of rhEPO is illegal in racehorses and has no ergogenic properties of its own, its repeated use has been demonstrated to result in life threatening complications in horses. At the dosages of rhEPO required to elicit a significant increase in red cell mass and/or hemoglobin concentration in horses, life threatening complications have been reported including non-regenerative anemia, and erythroid hypoplasia. In comparison, no reports exist which detail side effects in horses which have incorporated altitude simulation into their training regimens. Furthermore, because the performance enhancement effects attendant to altitude acclimatization revolve around natural physiological adaptive mechanisms, there is no fear of a positive test for rhEPO or other banned performance enhancing substance.

Safety of Altitude Simulation Systems With Respect to Increased Blood Viscosity

Recently some concern has been voiced about the use of altitude simulation systems in horses because of the risk of increased blood viscosity following high altitude acclimatization protocols in humans. Unlike most other mammalian species however, horses are able to increase their circulating red cell mass through splenic contraction. This ability to almost instantaneously increase their circulating hematocrit to 65% has been termed "auto transfusion" and sets horses apart from almost all other mammalian species. Any increase in blood viscosity following altitude acclimatization is inconsequential in comparison to the physiological increase in hematocrit following adrenergic stimulated splenic contraction in horses. For this reason alone, any concern centering on increased blood viscosity following altitude simulation in horses is wholly unfounded.

The significance of these findings with respect to the safety and suitability of employing high-low training in race horses is three-fold:

• The concern that altitude training in race horses may result in unsafe increases in the blood viscosity is extremely unlikely, given that the erythrogenic response from altitude acclimatization is demonstrably negligible in comparison to what is seen with normal splenic contraction.
• Horses living at altitudes >3000 m do not show any signs of increased blood viscosity or other untoward effects from chronic altitude exposure.
• The level of naturally occurring EPO in horses attendant to altitude stimulation is negligible in comparison to the levels of externally administered rhEPO (120 IU/kg q week) used in an effort to achieve enhancement in athletic performance in race horses.

• History Of Altitude Training
• Approaches To Altitude Training
• Benefits Of High-Low
• Safety

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