Abstract | Relatively few studies have investigated the physiological responses to intermittent hypoxia in healthy humans, the changes that ensue with prolonged exposure to intermittent hypoxia, and the mechanisms that underlie these adaptive processes. This review will outline the physiological (cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, respiratory) responses to intermittent hypoxia in healthy humans. Moreover, new data emerging from our group and others will be presented to describe some of the proposed mechanisms (i.e., erythropoiesis, angiogenesis, oxidative stress, endothelial function) that may underlie the physiological adaptations that ensue after exposure to intermittent hypoxia in healthy humans. Finally, the implications for obstructive sleep apnea will be discussed |