Exercise performance of Tibetan and Han adolescents at altitudes of 3,417 and 4,300 m

• Published in: Journal of applied physiology (1985) 1997-08, Vol.83 (2), p.661-667
• Main Authors: Chen, Qiu-Hong, Ge, Ri-Li, Wang, Xiao-Zhen, Chen, Hui-Xin, Wu, Tian-Yi, Kobayashi, Toshio, Yoshimura, Kazuhiko
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acclimatization; Adolescent; Altitude; Applied physiology; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Biological and medical sciences; China - ethnology; Human physiology applied to population studies and life conditions. Human ecophysiology; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Oxygen Consumption; Physical Fitness; Space life sciences; Tibet - ethnology; Transports. Aerospace. Diving. Altitude
• ISSN: 8750-7587; 1522-1601
• DOI: 10.1152/jappl.1997.83.2.661

Qiu-Hong Chen, Ri-Li Ge, Xiao-Zhen Wang, Hui-Xin Chen, Tian-Yi Wu, Toshio Kobayashi, and Kazuhiko Yoshimura Qinghai High Altitude Medical Science Institute, Xining, Qinghai 810012, China; and Research Center on Aging and Adaptation, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto 390, Japan Received 15 August 1996; accepted in final form 26 March 1997. Chen, Qiu-Hong, Ri-Li Ge, Xiao-Zhen Wang, Hui-Xin Chen, Tian-Yi Wu, Toshio Kobayashi, and Kazuhiko Yoshimura. Exercise performance of Tibetan and Han adolescents at altitudes of 3,417 and 4,300 m. J. Appl. Physiol. 83(2): 661-667, 1997. The difference was studied between O 2 transport in lifelong Tibetan adolescents and in newcomer Han adolescents acclimatized to high altitude. We measured minute ventilation, maximal O 2 uptake, maximal cardiac output, and arterial O 2 saturation during maximal exercise, using the incremental exercise technique, at altitudes of 3,417 and 4,300 m. The groups were well matched for age, height, and nutritional status. The Tibetans had been living at the altitudes for a longer period than the Hans (14.5 ± 0.2 vs. 7.8 ± 0.8 yr at 3,417 m, P