Gore, C. J., Hahn, A. G., Watson, D. B., Norton, K. I., Campbell, D. P., Scroop, G. S., Emonson, D. L., Wood, R. J., Ly, S. V., Bellenger, S. J., & Lawton, E. W. (1995). VO2max and arterial O2 saturation at sea level and 610 m. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 27, Supplement abstract 42.

The hypothesis that the VO2max of elite athletes, but not non-elite athletes, is decreased at sea-level compared with 610 m as a result of lower arterial oxygen saturation was tested. Neither value was significantly different between the two altitudes for the non-elite group, but were for the elites.

Implication. Trained elite athletes are more sensitive to minor changes in altitude and lower altitudes than non-elite athletes.

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