The process of oxygen delivery is a complicated one. Multiple parts must be in sync in order to extract oxygen from the outside environment and successfully deliver it to working tissues.
Optimizing this system to support high-altitude performance, where oxygen is a scarce resource, is nothing short of extraordinary.
This week, we examine oxygen delivery and celebrate Vitality athlete Tyler Andrews and his high-altitude speed record on Nepal’s 8,163-meter (26,781-foot) high Manaslu, which he summited in 9 hours and 52 minutes, shaving more than 2 hours off the previous time.
The Physiology in Action
Tyler’s amazing feat pushes the boundaries of endurance performance.
Oxygen plays an important role in supporting aerobic metabolism for prolonged performance. Unfortunately, it is extremely scarce at high altitude, hindering aerobic performance. To make matters harder, its availability decreases with every step towards the summit. This means that the ability to efficiently pull oxygen from the air and deliver it to working tissues becomes extremely important.
Oxygen delivery is an extremely complicated process, made up of multiple factors that must come together to ensure optimal performance. Of these, the ability to carry oxygen from the lungs through the body to working tissues, specifically the muscles and the brain, draws attention to red blood cell count and hemoglobin levels.
While they serve multiple physiological processes, red blood cells are best known for their role in oxygen delivery. Their small, flexible shape allows them to navigate through even the smallest capillaries, while their rich hemoglobin content allows them to carry oxygen throughout the body.
Hemoglobin contains iron-rich heme groups. Each heme group can bind one oxygen molecule, allowing each hemoglobin molecule to carry up to four oxygen molecules. Oxygen binds reversibly to the iron in the heme group, enabling both uptake in the lungs and release in working tissues.
As oxygen becomes scarce, efficient delivery becomes paramount.
The Vitality Plan
Great achievement doesn’t happen by chance. Finding ways to support the physiology required to realize these feats is paramount.
Lifestyle: Train Aerobically. Exercise stimulates red blood cell production in the bone marrow, leading to increased hemoglobin levels. (source)
Supplementation: Supplement with vitamin C when consuming iron-rich foods and supplements. Con-ingestion has been shown to increase iron absorption. (source)
Nutrition: Prioritize iron-rich foods, like red meat and dark green, leafy vegetables. Iron has been shown to support hemoglobin levels. (source)
Explore the Vitality Encyclopedia to learn more about these topics.
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