Effects of Intermittent Hypoxia Protocols on Physical Performance in Trained and Untrained Individuals: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance physical performance by eliciting adaptive responses across cardiovascular, respiratory, and muscular systems. Various IH protocols have been applied in both trained and untrained individuals to improve aerobic capacity, strength, and repeated sprint ability. However, the growing number of systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRs/MAs) has led to heterogeneous conclusions due to variability in populations, protocols, and outcome measures. This umbrella review aimed to synthesize and critically appraise the available SRs/MAs on the effects of IH protocols on physical performance across different fitness levels.

Methods

A systematic search, aligned with the PRIOR (Preferred Reporting Items for

SUBMITTER: Boulares A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12640890 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature