Talk:Portable hyperbaric bag

altitude tent?
Is there a connection between a Gamow bag and an altitude tent? gK &iquest;? 06:14, 8 Jan 2005 (UTC)

Commons:Deletion_requests/File:Inflatedgamowbag.jpeg
Does anybody know why the article features this 5 year old copyvio? ;-) commons:Commons:Deletion_requests/File:Inflatedgamowbag.jpeg  If you can help - comment at the deletion request please. Cheers --Saibo ( Δ ) 04:22, 2 July 2011 (UTC)

The Bubble was NOT designed to "create more red blood cells."
The article on the Gamow bag suggests that its predecessor, "The Bubble," would create more red blood cells to carry more oxygen to the athlete's muscles. This is incorrect. The Bubble was designed to create an increased air pressure environment in which an athlete could exercise, simulating exerise at lower altitude. Using the Bubble, an athlete living in Denver, for example, could lift weights with an air pressure similar to sea level, thereby increasing the oxygen in the air, thereby delivering more oxygen to the blood, thereby delivering more oxygen to the muscles.

A very important point here: exercising, like running, at high altitudes (less oxygen) increases the number of red blood cells and improves your cardiopulmonary system; however, the muscles get less oxygen, so they are not able to work as hard as muscles at low altitude. In other words, a runner at high altitude will have more red blood cells and a better lung / cardiac system. A weight lifter at high altitude will never develop chest, arm, leg muscles as big as his twin brother doing the same exercise and eating the same diet at a low altitude.

The Bubble was pressurized. It simulated a low altitude environment in order to allow development of the skeletal muscles (arms, chest, legs, etc.) If the athlete needing a Bubble also wanted to "increase red blood cells," that athlete would have to get out of the Bubble and go for a nice jog at high altitude.

As to my credentials: I am a physician, so I have a passing knowledge of the effects of altitude on the body. Also, I attended a lecture about the Gamow Bag. The lecturer was Dr. Gamow. At a Winter Medicine conference sponsored by the Wilderness Medical Society. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Nudemanatee (talk • contribs) 23:49, 29 January 2012 (UTC)