Question

Athletes are often trained at high altitude because

(a) training at high altitude increases muscle mass

(b) training at high altitude increases the number of red blood cells

(c) there is less chance of an injury at high altitude

(d) athletes sweat less at high altitude

Answer 1

Answer is : (b) training at high altitude increases the number of red blood cells

Athletes are often trained at high altitude because the air is ‘thinner’ at high altitudes, means there are fewer oxygen molecules per volume of air. Every breath taken at high altitude delivers less of what working muscles require. To compensate for the decrease in oxygen there occurs more production of red blood cells to aid in oxygen delivery to the muscles.