Hirofumi Tanaka, Ph.D.

Cardiovascular Aging Research LaboratoryDepartment of Kinesiology & Health EducationThe University of Texas at Austin

Ischemic Pre-Conditioning and Athletic Performance

Athletes and Competitive Advantage

Ergogenic Aids

Compression Sleeves

Eye BlackNasal Strip

Oxygen Inhalation

Ischemic Preconditioning

• ↑ Endothelial function

• ↑ Resistance to hypoxic injury

• ↑ Ischemic tolerance

↑

Olympic Marathon

Gold 2:06:32Silver 2:07:16Bronze 2:10:00

0.5%2.7%

270 yard0.7 mile

Usain Bolt in Beijing Olympics

Gold 9.69 Silver 9.89 Bronze 9.91

2.0%2.3%

Treatment Effects and Measurement Variabilities

Different Perspective

Ischemic Preconditioning and VO2max

De Groot et al. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2010

Young healthy well-trained subjects

Ischemic Preconditioning and VO2max

De Groot et al. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2010

56.8±6.8 58.4±6.2

↑3%

Ischemic Preconditioning and Endurance

Crisafulli et al. J Appl Physiol. 2011

Young healthy trained men

RIP:Ischemic preconditioning at rest

EIP:Ischemic preconditioning after 5-min exercise (larger metabolic load)

Ischemic Preconditioning and VO2max

Crisafulli et al. J Appl Physiol. 2011

Ischemic Preconditioning and 5 km Running Trial

Bailey et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2012

22.6±2.4 min 22.0±1.9 min

⬆2.5%

Young healthy trained men

4 x 5-min 220 mmHg bilateral leg occlusion

Ischemic Preconditioning and VO2max

Bailey et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2012

Control IPC30

35

40

45

50

55

VO

2m

ax (

ml/k

g/m

in)

Ischemic Preconditioning and 100m Swimming Performance

Jean-St-Michel et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011

66.98±21.28 66.28±21.08

⬆0.7 sec or 1%

Canadian national-level swimmers (13-27 years)

IPC, 40-45 min warm-up, time trial

Michael Phelps vs. Milorad Cavic in 100m Butterfly

Gold 50.58Silver 50.59

8th 51.12

0.02%

2.5%

-----

Michael Phelps-18 Olympic Gold Medals-

Wingate Anaerobic Power Test

• Peak power output

• Average power output (anaerobic capacity)

• Fatigue Index = (Peak - End) Peak

Wingate Anaerobic Power Test

Remote IPC

0 10 20 30 40 55

Wingate Tests

65

Rest

Time (min)

57.5 60 62.5

1 2 3 4

Experimental Protocol

Wingate Anaerobic Power Test

*

Peak Power Output

†

Average Power Output

Fatigue Index

• Ischemic preconditioning appears to be an effective ergogenic aid to enhance both anaerobic and aerobic athletic performance.

•The effects of ischemic preconditioning on maximal aerobic fitness remain controversial.

•The application of ischemic preconditioning to athletes is a promising area that requires more investigations.

Conclusions

Ischemic Preconditioning and 5km Running Trial

Bailey et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2012

Infarct size is expressed as a % of area at risk.

The black bar - mice perfused with dialysate from control subjects (n = 4).

The white bar - mice perfused with dialysate from elite swimmers (n = 9).

Jean-St-Michel et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011

RIPC on Infarction Size in Mouse Hearts

Pasdois et al. J Am Heart Assoc. 2012

Ischemic Preconditioning on Phosphagens