University of Puerto Rico at Cayey205 Avenida Antonio R. Barceló Cayey, PR 00736

Tel. (787) 738-2161

Research Proposal

Improvements of Puerto Rican Population Health by Inducing Hypoxia

By

Angelin M. Figueroa Rivera

Prof. Edgar LleraRise Program – Summer Bridge

Content

Abstract……………………………………………………………………………Introduction……………………………………………………………………….How Hypoxia Works……………………………………………………………..Objectives………………………………………………………………………….Methodology………………………………………………………………………Hypothesis…………………………………………………………………………Expected Results…………………………………………………………………Conclusion………………………………………………………………………...References…………………………………………………………………………Additional Information…………………………………………………………..

Improvements of Puerto Rican Population Health by Inducing Hypoxia

Angelin M. Figueroa RiveraJuly 9, 2012

Abstract

This research has the purpose of discover how the low content of oxygen tension in tissues (hypoxia) improves the hypertension, and asthma in Puerto Rican population using hypoxic altitude therapy systems. Since Russian researchers found that adapting to altitude with intermittent hypoxic training increases the efficiency with which the body takes up, transport and utilize oxygen.

The hypothesis is that the Puerto Rican populations will experiment hypertension and asthma improvements after being submitted to a high altitude protocols with intermittent hypoxic therapy systems. In this research will be using the intermittent hypoxic training.

Will be having two experimental groups one group of five women between 55-60 years old from Puerto Rico, two with asthma and three with hypertension and another group of five men between 55-60 years old from Puerto Rico, two with asthma and three with hypertension. This experimental group will be submitted to 30 days of hypoxic therapy system three days per week one hour per day. The negative control will be two women and two men between 55 to 60 years old with asthma and three women and three men between 55 to 60 years old with hypertension. This negative control will not be submitted to the hypoxic therapy system. The positive control will be two women and two men between 55 to 60 years old from Colorado State, at an altitude sea level of 7500ft, with asthma and three women and three men from Colorado State, at an altitude of 7500ft, between 55-60 years old, with hypertension. This positive control has been used intermittent hypoxic therapy. Each group, the experimental, positive control and negative control, will have weekly medical tests to record the results of the hypoxic therapy system per week.

Permits will be requested to the IRB (Institutional Review Board services) to use humans for this investigation. The people selected for the research study will be oriented that they have to sign a consent and nondisclosure agreement.

The expected results are that the experimental group with asthma will eliminate their asthma problem and the experimental group with hypertension will normalize their blood pressure.

Introduction

Many diseases found commonly at lower altitudes occur less at high altitude; as diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, several types of gastric disorder, skin diseases, psychiatric ailments (including neurosis and psychosis) and anemia. Since Puerto Rico is at an average of 2000 feet (610 meters) altitude above sea level, I will study the Puerto Rican populations to study the benefits that they will experiment with hypoxic therapy at sea level, using altitude simulators. Hypoxia is the low content or lack of oxygen in the body. Some benefits of intermittent hypoxic therapy are increase the activity of the hypoxia inducible

factor, enhance the production of erythropoietin (EPO), enhance the immunology state, adaptation of the cardiovascular system resulting in the increase of capillary density, decrease in cardiac frequency and arterial pressure.

How Hypoxia Works

When the body is less than 90% of oxygen begins the hypoxic process where the person receiving the therapy will be regenerating his cells in a range after 20 to 30 days.

What really hypoxic therapy system does is through the lack of oxygen in the body a protein compound of two subunits (hypoxia inducible factor-1alfa, who is inactive, and hypoxia inducible factor-1beta, who is

degenerating because is only activated over 6000ft sea level) called inductor factor by Hypoxia 1 is activated. The inductor factor by hypoxia 1 (HIF-1) activate the erythropoietin and this glycoprotein hormone plus iron promote new cells generation and increase the red blood cells. Therefore, the person will have muscular and cardiovascular energy, power, resistance and strength because there is more new cells and will be more mitochondria that are the main source of energy of the body.

Objective

The objective is to discover how the low content of oxygen tension in tissues (hypoxia) improves the hypertension, and asthma in Puerto Rican population with hypoxic altitude therapy systems. Since Russian researchers found that adapting to altitude with intermittent hypoxic training increases the efficiency with which the body takes up, transport and utilize oxygen. I will investigate if the same reaction occurs in Puerto Rican people.

Methodology

There are two types of hypoxic trainings; workout hypoxic training (doing exercises in high altitude, hypoxia) and intermittent hypoxic training (three to five minutes in high altitude, hypoxia, and re-oxygenation cycles). In this research will be using the intermittent hypoxic training. I will be having two experimental groups one group of five women between 55-60 years old from Puerto Rico, two with asthma and three with hypertension and another group of five men between 55-60 years old from Puerto Rico, two with asthma and three with hypertension. This experimental group will be submitted to thirty days of hypoxic therapy system three days per week one hour per day.

The negative control will be five women between 55 to 60 years old from Puerto Rico, two with asthma and three with hypertension and another group of five men between 55-60 years old from Puerto Rico, two with asthma and three with hypertension. This negative control will not be submitted to the hypoxic therapy system.

The positive control will be five women between 55 to 60 years old from Colorado State, at an altitude sea level of 7500ft, two with asthma and three with hypertension and another group of five men from Colorado State, at an altitude of 7500ft, between 55-60 years old, two with asthma and three with hypertension. This positive control has been used intermittent hypoxic therapy and obtained improvements in asthma and hypertension diseases.

Each group, the experimental, positive control and negative control, will have weekly medical tests to record the results of the hypoxic therapy system per week.

I will apply for the permissions of the IRB (Institutional Review Board services) to use humans for my investigations. The people selected for the research study will be oriented that they have to sign a consent and nondisclosure agreement.

Hypothesis

My hypothesis is that the Puerto Rican people submitted to the intermittent hypoxic therapies will experiment hypertension and asthma improvements after being submitted to a high altitude protocol with hypoxic altitude therapy system.

Expected Results

The two women and two men, from the experimental group, with asthma will eliminate their asthma problem. Also, the three women and three men, from the experimental group, with hypertension will normalize their blood pressure.

Conclusion

My hypothesis might be positive because the experimental group receiving the intermittent hypoxic therapy might improve their

hypertension and asthma disease respectively.

References

Courtney R 2001 Intermittent Hypoxic Training Rejuvenation-Healing and Enhanced Athletic Performance are just a few of the Benefits, International Wellbeing 83:1-4, www.altipower.com