Exercise at altitude

Altitude can be categorized based on elevation above sea level into low, moderate, high, very high, and extreme altitudes. As altitude increases, atmospheric pressure and partial pressure of oxygen decrease. This causes physiological responses from the respiratory, cardiovascular, and metabolic systems to try to compensate for the lower oxygen availability. Maximal oxygen uptake and endurance exercise performance decrease significantly with increasing altitude above 5,000 feet, though anaerobic sprint performances are generally not impaired at moderate altitude. With chronic exposure to altitude over weeks to months, the body can acclimate through various adaptations like increased ventilation, blood volume and hemoglobin levels.