Effects of the micronutrient Sanopal® (5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural and α-ketoglutaric acid) on oxygen affinity of hemoglobin, oxygen saturation and exercise responses at altitude.

Abstract

With increasing altitude, the partial pressure of oxygen and oxygen saturation (SpO₂) decrease, reducing physical performance. This study investigates whether the nutritional supplement Sanopal&#xae; (5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural and <i>&#x3b1;</i>-ketoglutaric acid) increases hemoglobin-oxygen affinity and SpO&#x2082; during exercise at moderate altitude. Nineteen healthy young sports students (12 females, 7 males) participated in a single-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study investigating the effects of Sanopal&#xae; at low (590 m) and moderate altitude (2900 m). Participants received Sanopal&#xae; or placebo in a randomized order, with measurements of SpO&#x2082;, heart rate, and blood parameters taken before and after ingestion, as well as before and after exercise at altitude. Under resting and acute hypoxia conditions, Sanopal&#xae; did not increase hemoglobin-oxygen affinity or SpO&#x2082;. At altitude and post-exercise, Hb-O&#x2082; affinity decreased by approximately 5% in the PL trial but increased by approximately 2% in the SA session (interaction effect: <i>p</i> = 0.030). There were no significant differences in SpO&#x2082; or heart rate between the Sanopal&#xae; and placebo groups. Sanopal&#xae; did not alter hemoglobin-oxygen affinity or SpO&#x2082; under resting conditions in normoxia or acute hypoxia. After exercise at altitude, it slightly increased Hb-O&#x2082; affinity without significantly affecting SpO&#x2082; or other measured blood parameters. The modest increase in Hb-O₂ affinity following exercise may have limited the exercise-induced decrease in Hb-O₂ affinity. However, this increase was likely too small to significantly raise SpO&#x2082; in this cohort at a relatively low altitude.