Adrenocortical and Sympathoadrenal Systems, Energy Metabolism Substrates in Human Blood during One-Year Exposure to Hypobaric Hypoxic, Hypokinesia, and Isolation

• Published in: Human physiology 2023-12, Vol.49 (7), p.793-799
• Main Authors: Ilyin, E. A., Larina, I. M., Nosovskii, A. M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adrenal glands; Amino acids; Asthenia; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cholesterol; Dietary supplements; Energy metabolism; Human Physiology; Hypoxia; Life Sciences; Low temperature; Metabolism; Psychotropic drugs; Reviews; Social interactions; Sympathetic nervous system
• ISSN: 0362-1197; 1608-3164
• DOI: 10.1134/S0362119723070071

Year-long life on the Vostok Antarctic scientific station was characterized by exposure to physiologically important factors including hypobaric hypoxia ( Р = 460 mm Hg) due to the location on the Central Ice Sheet, hypokinesia due to staying indoors most of the time because of very low temperatures outdoors, and physical and social isolation from the world. The paper attempts to define which of these factors determined the human body stress-reaction and energy metabolism. Venous plasma samples were periodically gathered for analysis from 16 members of the 13th Soviet Antarctic expedition to the Vostok station in 1968. Members of the expedition were divided into two groups. One group was experimental, i.e., intermittently consumed anti-asthenia amino acid and vitamin supplements and psychoactive drugs, and the other was the placebo control. The investigation showed that in the course of the year-long existence in the extreme environment the averaged levels of 11-oxycorticosteroids and adrenergic compounds were elevated while the noradrenergic levels were at the bottom margins of their normal ranges. Averaged values of blood glucose and total cholesterol were well within the range of normal variations. Anti-asthenia supplements mitigated chronic stress and did not disturb energy metabolism.