A recent article published in the April 18 issue of the journal Cell entitled 'Epidermal Sensing of Oxygen is Essential for Systemic Hypoxic Response' could provide clues about new ways to naturally improve endurance performance through an unusual pathway...the skin!The recent research by Randy Johnson, a Harvard-educated biology professor at UCSD, examined the role of skin in stimulating their production of red blood cells in low-oxygen environments.
Until now scientists believed that when you go to higher altitudes, where there is less oxygen in the air, the lungs breathe in the 'thinner' air and internal organs sense that the body needs to produce more of the hormone erythropoietin, or EPO. The EPO in turn helps make more red blood cells, which carry more oxygen to muscles to compensate for the oxygen-depleted environment.
In Johnson's study the heads and bodies of mice were exposed separately to differing levels of oxygen. The results showed that the skin and not just internal organs that triggered a natural rise in EPO levels.
The UCSD team also noticed 'significant spikes in EPO and red blood cell levels when they applied a nitroglycerine patch (similar to those worn by cardiac patients) or rubbed the mice with mustard oil, which is a mild skin irritant', reports
signonsandiego.com.
If the same effects are noted in an upcoming human trail, this finding could be exploited to naturally improving endurance performance without the hassle of traditional method such as high altitude training camps or sleeping in altitude tents. The idea that the skin is an 'oxygen sensor' and plays a role in the stimulation of EPO also lends credence to anecdotal evidence from cyclists that say nicotine, a legal supplement, helps improve endurance performance. Nicotine is known to restrict blood flow to the skin and so could potentially trigger the skin's oxygen sensor. Strangely, Randy Johnson's team of researchers at UC San Diego found that rubbing mustard oil on mice caused spikes in natural EPO production, and that led to increased red blood cell levels! It iss unclear how much mustard oil a human athlete would need to enhance performance or if using too much could lead to side effects.
Until further research is conducted this is nothing more than speculation but it provides yet another valuable insight into the complexity of the human body and how understanding how it really works will bring about new changes in training methodology.
Labels: Physiology
