Xtreme Everest 2: analysis of biological samples
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Xtreme Everest 2 (XE2): analysis of biological samples and exploration of the relationships between sample analysis results and phenotype data obtained from the XE2 baseline and field studies.
IRAS ID
156720
Contact name
Daniel S Martin
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Research summary
Summary of Results
We wanted to know whether people who were born at high altitude (where there is less oxygen) use energy more efficiently than people born at sea level. This is because, people born at high altitude seem to exercise harder when at high altitude, than those born at low altitude.
To answer this question, we organised an expedition to trek to the base camp of Mount Everest (which is 5300m above sea level) and undertook experiments as volunteers made their ascent. Half of the volunteers were born at low altitude (mainly in the UK) and half were Sherpas, born high in the mountains of Nepal. Experiments happened in temporary laboratories constructed on the route to Everest base camp. Volunteers gave blood samples and small samples of muscle from their leg for analysis.
The tests on the muscle showed was that Sherpas were able to make much better use of limited amount of oxygen at high altitude by limiting the amount of body fat burned and maximising the glucose consumption. We were also able to identify a difference in genes between the Sherpas and low land volunteers that explained the findings. Suggesting the Sherpas had inherited this ability to use oxygen more efficiently at high altitude.
More can be read about this in a BBC report about the expedition's findings: https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftrack.pstmrk.it%2F3ts%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%252Fnews%252Fscience-environment-40006803%2FNBTI%2FziDBAQ%2FAQ%2F680e7de5-e001-48ca-b994-a38cec3e6688%2F1%2F70-6LTwm6a&data=05%7C02%7Capprovals%40hra.nhs.uk%7Cb681a86de505440fd4f108de1aac7830%7C8e1f0acad87d4f20939e36243d574267%7C0%7C0%7C638977525235315362%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=DZsqYOrpL62pRGHMc20IASkU9amc2g0Ndg5oLS%2B%2FCCI%3D&reserved=0
REC name
West of Scotland REC 4
REC reference
14/WS/0135
Date of REC Opinion
20 May 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion