Cardiorespiratory system: why do athletes train at altitude? — DRAFT ONLY
Learning Objectives
Know that red blood cells carry oxygen.
Know that you can make more red blood cells when you need more oxygen.
Know what anemia is.
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What Are Red Blood Cells?
Red blood cells are cells in our bloodstream that transport oxygen throughout the body. Hemoglobin is a protein produced in red blood cells which absorbs oxygen in the lungs. The red blood cells then carry oxygen through the blood vessels and to the heart. Their unique shape pictured below allows them to fit into tiny blood vessels in the body in order to deliver oxygen.
What Is Anemia?
Anemia is a condition in which a person has a low amount of red blood cells, or if the person is low in hemoglobin. If you have anemia it can come with symptoms such as pale skin, dizziness, moodiness, feeling weak and tired, or a faster than normal heart beat. Some forms of anemia can be treated by eating a healthy diet full of nutrients.
Why Do Athletes Train At High Altitude?
Many athletes, such as the one pictured above train at high altitudes such as mountain ranges to prepare their bodies for a big game or sporting event. Air is thinner at higher altitudes which means there are fewer oxygen molecules per volume of air. This means that when athletes train at these high altitudes, their body produces more red blood cells. These extra blood cells stay in the body for up to 20 days. Then when the athlete goes to play in their game, they have extra red blood cells that can put them at an advantage.
Figure 1 image credit: The creator of this chapter credited: DAVID MCCARTHY / Getty Images
However, I wasn’t able to find it under free images in Getty Images. This is the link I found: https://www.thoughtco.com/red-blood-cells-373487. Not clear if it is copyrighted.
Figure 2 image credit: The creator of this chapter credited: Image: © Petesaloutos | Dreamstime
However, I wasn’t able to find it under free images in Dreamstime. This is the link I found: https://www.livescience.com/32833-why-do-carbs-improve-marathon-runners-performance.html. Not clear if it is copyrighted.