SynthesisSports medicine - open2023
Effects of Intermittent Normobaric Hypoxia on Health-Related Outcomes in Healthy Older Adults: A Systematic Review.
Synthesis in Sports medicine - open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.
- Combined training in hypoxic environments improves cardiometabolic health in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Intermittent normobaric hypoxia at rest is associated with divergent cardiac autonomic trajectories in master cyclists.European journal of applied physiology · 2026Trial
- Effectiveness of short-term cycling interventions in older adults: a randomized trial of hypoxic, blood flow restriction, and eccentric cycling.Scientific reports · 2025Trial
- Brain-Derived neurotrophic factor and inflammatory biomarkers are unaffected by acute and chronic intermittent hypoxic-hyperoxic exposure in geriatric patients: a randomized controlled trial.Annals of medicine · 2024Trial
- PRISMA 2020 Is a Reporting Guideline for Systematic Reviews but Is Often Misused to Guide Review Content.Cochrane evidence synthesis and methods · 2026Article
- Emotional Coherence Under Hypoxia and Aging: A Registered Report on Subjective-Physiological Coupling.Psychophysiology · 2026Article
- Effects of a 6-Week Intermittent Hypoxia-Hyperoxia Exposure Program on Blood Pressure, Respiratory Function, Cardiac Autonomic Nervous Activity and CRP Levels in Older Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Combining exercise and hypoxia for brain health: from elite athlete altitude training camps to clinical applications.AIMS neuroscience · 2026Review
- Traditional Health Practices May Promote Nrf2 Activation Similar to Exercise.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Review
- Effect of intermittent normobaric hypoxia on executive functions assessed with different cognitive tests in healthy young subjects.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- Can a weekend of controlled hypoxia restore hormonal balance? A novel approach to stress recovery in aviation professionals.Frontiers in physiology · 2025Article
- Effects of intermittent hypoxia and whole-body vibration training on health-related outcomes in older adults.Aging clinical and experimental research · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAging is a degenerative process that is associated with an increased risk of diseases. Intermittent hypoxia has been investigated in reference to performance and health-related functions enhancement. This systematic review aimed to summarize the effect of either passive or active intermittent normobaric hypoxic interventions compared with normoxia on health-related outcomes in healthy older adults.
methodsRelevant studies were searched from PubMed and Web of Science databases in accordance with PRISMA guidelines (since their inceptions up until August 9, 2022) using the following inclusion criteria: (1) randomized controlled trials, clinical trials and pilot studies; (2) Studies involving humans aged > 50 years old and without any chronic diseases diagnosed; (3) interventions based on in vivo intermittent systemic normobaric hypoxia exposure; (4) articles focusing on the analysis of health-related outcomes (body composition, metabolic, bone, cardiovascular, functional fitness or quality of life). Cochrane Collaboration recommendations were used to assess the risk of bias.
resultsFrom 509 articles initially found, 17 studies were included. All interventions were performed in moderate normobaric hypoxia, with three studies using passive exposure, and the others combining intermittent hypoxia with training protocols (i.e., using resistance-, whole body vibration- or aerobic-based exercise).
conclusionsComputed results indicate a limited effect of passive/active intermittent hypoxia (ranging 4-24 weeks, 2-4 days/week, 16-120 min/session, 13-16% of fraction of inspired oxygen or 75-85% of peripheral oxygen saturation) compared to similar intervention in normoxia on body composition, functional fitness, cardiovascular and bone health in healthy older (50-75 years old) adults. Only in specific settings (i.e., intermediate- or long-term interventions with high intensity/volume training sessions repeated at least 3 days per week), may intermittent hypoxia elicit beneficial effects. Further research is needed to determine the dose-response of passive/active intermittent hypoxia in the elderly.
trial registrationSYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO 2022 CRD42022338648.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.