Physiology Laboratory, School of Medicine, Universidad Privada Antenor Orrego, Trujillo, La Libertad, Peru.
Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
F1000Res. 2023 Nov 8;12:724. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.134346.2. eCollection 2023.
High altitude exposure triggers a series of physiological changes to maintain homeostasis. Although longer-term (days to years) acclimatization processes are well studied, less is known about the physiological changes upon rapid ascent. We took advantage of Peru's geography to measure the first physiological changes following rapid transport from a low to a high-altitude environment among lowlanders.
Blood glucose, insulin, C-peptide, and salivary cortisol among healthy lowland Peruvians were measured before and after glucose ingestion at 40 m and upon arrival at 3470 m. Resting heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, and blood pressure were also monitored.
At high altitude, we find a significant ( <0.05) increase in heart rate and a decrease in blood oxygen saturation and salivary cortisol. Additionally, baseline levels of blood glucose, plasma C-peptide, and cortisol were reduced ( <0.05). Blood glucose, plasma insulin, and plasma C-peptide returned to baseline or below faster at high altitude after glucose ingestion.
Although many overlapping environmental and physiological factors are present in the high-altitude environment, the first steps of acclimatization in this population appear to be caused by increased energy expenditure and glucose metabolism to maintain oxygen homeostasis until the longer-term acclimatization mechanisms become more significant.
高海拔暴露会引发一系列生理变化以维持体内平衡。虽然人们对长期（数天到数年）适应过程进行了充分研究，但对快速上升时的生理变化知之甚少。我们利用秘鲁的地理位置，在低地人群从低海拔环境快速运输到高海拔环境后，测量了第一批生理变化。
在海拔 40 米处和海拔 3470 米处，测量了健康的低地秘鲁人在摄入葡萄糖前后的血糖、胰岛素、C 肽和唾液皮质醇，并监测静息心率、血氧饱和度和血压。
在高海拔地区，我们发现心率显著增加（<0.05），血氧饱和度和唾液皮质醇降低。此外，血糖、血浆 C 肽和皮质醇的基础水平降低（<0.05）。葡萄糖摄入后，高海拔地区的血糖、血浆胰岛素和血浆 C 肽更快地恢复到基线或以下。
尽管高海拔环境中存在许多重叠的环境和生理因素，但该人群的适应的最初步骤似乎是由于能量消耗和葡萄糖代谢增加，以维持氧平衡，直到长期适应机制变得更加显著。
