Cardiorespiratory Adaptations to High-Altitude Living and Their Performance Implications for Elite Athletes from the Jos Plateau, North Central Nigeria

Background: Altitude training exploits haematological and cardiorespiratory adaptations to chronic hypoxia to enhance sea-level athletic performance. The Jos Plateau, at approximately 1,200 metres elevation, represents a natural altitude training environment for Nigerian athletes. Systematic analytical characterisation of these adaptations and their translation to competitive performance in Nigerian elite sport is lacking. Objectives: This study aims to compare cardiorespiratory parameters, including maximal oxygen uptake, ventilatory threshold, haemoglobin mass, and cardiac output at maximal exercise, between elite athletes residing on the Jos Plateau and sea-level athletes of equivalent training volume in Kogi State, and to model the performance implications of observed adaptations. Methods: Twenty-five Jos Plateau athletes and twenty-five sea-level athletes matched for sport and training volume will be recruited. Maximal oxygen uptake will be measured by incremental treadmill ergometry with direct gas analysis. Haemoglobin mass will be estimated by carbon monoxide rebreathing. Cardiac output will be derived by acetylene rebreathing. MANCOVA will control for training load differences. Expected Outcomes: Plateau-based athletes are anticipated to exhibit significantly higher haemoglobin mass and maximal oxygen uptake, translating to superior endurance performance indices at sea level. Conclusion: Findings will validate the Jos Plateau as a natural altitude training resource for Nigerian national sports development. Keywords: altitude adaptation, maximal oxygen uptake, haemoglobin mass, elite athletes, Jos Plateau.