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.

BACKGROUND

With increasing altitude, the partial pressure of oxygen and oxygen saturation (SpO2) decrease, reducing physical performance. This study investigates whether the nutritional supplement Sanopal® (5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural and α-ketoglutaric acid) increases hemoglobin-oxygen affinity and SpO₂ during exercise at moderate altitude.

METHODS

Nineteen healthy young sports students (12 females, 7 males) participated in a single-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study investigating the effects of Sanopal® at low (590 m) and moderate altitude (2900 m). Participants received Sanopal® or placebo in a randomized order, with measurements of SpO₂, heart rate, and blood parameters taken before and after ingestion, as well as before and after exercise at altitude.

RESULTS

Under resting and acute hypoxia conditions, Sanopal® did not increase hemoglobin-oxygen affinity or SpO₂. At altitude and post-exercise, Hb-O₂ affinity decreased by approximately 5% in the PL trial but increased by approximately 2% in the SA session (interaction effect: p = 0.030). There were no significant differences in SpO₂ or heart rate between the Sanopal® and placebo groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Sanopal® did not alter hemoglobin-oxygen affinity or SpO₂ under resting conditions in normoxia or acute hypoxia. After exercise at altitude, it slightly increased Hb-O₂ affinity without significantly affecting SpO₂ 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 SpO₂ in this cohort at a relatively low altitude.