LOW PRESSURE
Humans
Approximately 140 million people, around 2% of the world's population, live permanently at high altitudes, above 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) in South America, East Africa, and South Asia.
Cusco, Peru - 3,399m above sea level
Lhasa, China - 3,656m
Andeans have large barrel-shaped chests that increase the volume of each of their breaths, thus allowing more oxygen to enter the body.
Tibetans do not suffer with altitude sickness/hypoxia or altitude related illnesses such as high blood pressure. They exhale considerably less NO (Nitric Oxide) than sea level inhabiting humans and have more NO in their bloodstream.
Tibetans have 10 oxygen processing genes not found in lowland inhabitants. This includes a gene known as EPAS1, containing instructions for making a protein (HIF -2α) a subunit to a larger protein, HIF. It is the main regulator of a hormone which controls red blood cell and blood vessel production called Erythropoietin. EPAS1 came from a human relative from around 50’000 years ago called Denisovans.
Tibetan Mastiff dogs who also live in the highlands have also developed the EPAS1 gene.
Both Andean And Tibetans use the same full range of aerobic potential as low landers for oxygen consuming activities.
Around 88% of Tibetans have a gene which mutated approximately 8000 years ago that lowlanders do not have called EGLN1. This gene stops their bodies from over reacting to the low-pressure environment.
