Originally Posted by
Doge
Don't know what you are asking. I don't think hematocrit has all that much to do with it. A bit, but I've tested informally about 6 folks. At ATish - all drop.
Standing around on Mt Everest is not the same as going into O2 debt in a TT.
This is an exercise phenomenon, not an ambient O2 one.
I was simply pointing out that a low oxygen environment will cause saturation to drop with exercise. This drop is however, not normal at one's usual altitude. I have seen that elite athletes can achieve drops in the 93% range when doing long hard intervals. I think very few of us are talented enough to manage that, since it involves enormous oxygen consumption by the muscles.
A further point is that there is no such thing as "oxygen debt" in training. Our bodies won't allow it. Were tissue oxygenation allowed to really drop, our tissues would be damaged. That's the reason they call above 25,000' the "death zone." Panting or very hard breathing during hard efforts is our body's way of getting rid of CO2, not trying to get more oxygen. There's plenty of oxygen. The problem is too much CO2 being made. We have anaerobic systems which produce energy without using oxygen. Very convenient for us!
I agree that the OP should seek medical help.