Examining placebo effects after a 3-week repeated-sprint training program under hypoxic conditions in recreationally trained subjects: a randomized controlled trial.

Repeated-sprint training in hypoxia (RSH) has been suggested to significantly enhance anaerobic performance. However, the widespread belief in the benefits of altitude training raises questions about potential placebo effect. The aim of this study was thus to investigate the physiological and placeb...

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Published in:Applied Physiology, Nutrition & Metabolism Vol. 50; pp. 1 - 13
Main Authors: Gutknecht, Alexandre P., Gonzalez-Figueres, Martin, Belda, Guilhem, Vergotte, Grégoire, Perrey, Stéphane, Favier, François B.
Format: pictorial research tables/charts randomized controlled trial Journal Article
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 8/15/2025
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: 8/15/2025
      vid: 50
      pid: 64076
      pub: Canadian Science Publishing
      place: Ottawa, Ontario
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        187383703
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        10.1139/apnm-2024-0468
        187383703
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        atl: Examining placebo effects after a 3-week repeated-sprint training program under hypoxic conditions in recreationally trained subjects: a randomized controlled trial.
      aug:
        au:
          Gutknecht, Alexandre P.
          Gonzalez-Figueres, Martin
          Belda, Guilhem
          Vergotte, Grégoire
          Perrey, Stéphane
          Favier, François B.
        affil: EuroMov Digital Health in Motion, University of Montpellier, IMT Mines Ales, Montpellier, France
      sug:
        subj:
          Training Effect (Physiology)
          Sprinting
          Anoxia
          Athletic Performance Evaluation
          Athletes Psychosocial Factors
          Recreation
          Human
          Randomized Controlled Trials
          Random Assignment
          Placebos
          Cycling
          Biochemical Phenomena
          Exercise
          Descriptive Statistics
          Comparative Studies
      ab: Repeated-sprint training in hypoxia (RSH) has been suggested to significantly enhance anaerobic performance. However, the widespread belief in the benefits of altitude training raises questions about potential placebo effect. The aim of this study was thus to investigate the physiological and placebo effects of normobaric hypoxia combined with repeated-sprint training on performance. Twenty-nine moderately trained participants were randomly assigned to normoxia (repeated-sprint in normoxia (RSN)), placebo (repeated-sprint in normoxia with placebo setup (RSN-P)), or hypoxia (RSH) groups. Participants in RSN-P group were led to believe they were training at simulated altitude (between 2500 and 3500 m), while participants in the RSN and RSH groups knew they were training at sea level and at altitude, respectively. Repeated-sprint training involved six cycling sessions over 3 weeks, consisting of three sets of 8 × 6 s sprint with 24 s of recovery. There was no difference in the estimation of the altitude level to which participants from the RSN-P and RSH groups thought they had been exposed. There was a main significant effect of training on mean power output during Wingate (+7.9%; p < 0.001; ηp² = 0.47) and repeated-sprint ability tests (+7.7%; p < 0.001; ηp² = 0.55). However, contrary to our hypotheses, the enhancement among the three groups did not differ. The lack of greater improvement in the RSH group compared to the other groups raises questions about the added value of hypoxia in these conditions. In conclusion, neither real nor perceived hypoxia enhanced training adaptations following repeated-sprint sessions.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        pictorial
        research
        tables/charts
        randomized controlled trial
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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