Evaluating Breathing Oxygen in a Pressurized Chamber After Exercise to Improve Recovery and Performance in Healthy Male National-Level Cyclists Aged 18 to 40

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating whether breathing oxygen in a pressurized chamber after intense cycling exercise can help competitive male cyclists recover better and improve their performance the next day. The study focuses on healthy male road cyclists aged 18 to 40 who compete at the national level in Belgium. Despite widespread use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in sports recovery, clear scientific evidence of its benefits after a single session of strenuous endurance exercise is lacking. Participants complete a fatiguing cycling session then are randomly assigned to one of four groups receiving different oxygen levels during recovery. Two groups breathe pure oxygen at increased pressures of 2.5 or 1.4 atmospheres absolute inside a hyperbaric chamber. Another group breathes pure oxygen at normal atmospheric pressure, and the fourth receives a sham treatment that mimics the chamber environment without extra oxygen. The study is double-blind, so neither participants nor assessors know who receives which treatment. During the study, researchers measure next-day endurance performance by assessing the decline in time to exhaustion relative to baseline. Blood samples and physiological data are also collected to understand recovery mechanisms. Participation involves one hour of oxygen exposure after exercise, and the study spans about 18 months to capture these effects. Safety and recovery responses are closely monitored throughout.

Acute Effects of Post-Exercise Hyperoxia on Recovery in Cycling