Dose-response relationship of normobaric hypoxia training on body composition and metabolic health in obese adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis found no evidence that normobaric hypoxia training produces superior body composition outcomes compared with equivalent normoxic exercise in adults with obesity. The absence of superior body composition benefits, combined with paradoxical dose-response relationships and increased intervention complexity, suggests that NHT cannot be recommended as a superior alternative to conventional exercise training for obesity treatment. The non-significant trend toward cardiovascular benefits with inconsistent responses across studies indicates that further research is needed to determine whether NHT may have value for specific applications focused on aerobic capacity enhancement. These findings emphasize the importance of rigorous evidence evaluation before widespread implementation of novel exercise interventions.