00:01
So what happens when we travel
to really high altitudes?
So quick travel
to altitudes above
2400 meters or 8,000 feet
may trigger symptoms
of something called
acute mountain sickness.
00:17
This happens
because the atmospheric pressure
and the partial pressure of
oxygen levels are much lower
at higher elevations.
00:29
If you ascend too quickly
from sea level to these
higher elevations,
you can experience
symptoms such as headaches,
shortness of breath,
nausea and dizziness.
00:43
And then some severe cases,
It can actually
lead to brain damage
or pulmonary edema.
00:52
So our respiratory and
hematopoietic adjustments
are made
when we make long-term
moves to higher altitudes.
01:01
So instead of moving abruptly,
if we kind of go gradually
or if we move to
our high altitude
for a long period of time
our bodies will adjust
to this lower oxygen.
01:15
So at these higher altitudes
chemoreceptors are going
to become more responsive
to the carbon dioxide levels
when the oxygen levels decline.
01:26
The substantial
decline in oxygen
is going to stimulate those
peripheral chemoreceptors
in the Carotid bodies
and the aortic bodies,
and it's going to
result in an increase
in the minute ventilation
that will stabilize
in a few days
to a little higher than
what you would have
at sea level.
01:47
Also, at high altitude
there is going to be
a lower than normal
hemoglobin saturation of oxygen
and this is just due to there
being less oxygen available.
01:59
So a lower partial
pressure of oxygen.
02:03
But not to worry,
our bodies are able to
respond to this decline
and blood oxygen
by stimulating the
kidneys to accelerate
the production of erythropoietin
which then is going to
stimulate the production
of more red blood cells.
02:20
This increase in the
number of red blood cells
is going to slowly
provide a long-term
compensation to
this higher altitude
and lower oxygen levels.
02:33
And so sometimes
athletes use this phenomenon
in order to train
for long races.
02:41
So they will move
or train in an area
that is above sea level
to stimulate their body
to make more red blood cells.
02:50
So when they go back
to compete at sea level
they have more oxygen
available to perform that task.