What happens to your body at the top of Mount Everest - Andrew Lovering

Summary

This script delves into the human body's response to high altitudes, highlighting the dangers of rapid ascent like teleporting to Mt. Everest's peak, where one could suffocate due to the 33% lower oxygen levels. It explains how gradual acclimatization over a month allows the body to adapt through increased heart rate, breathing, and hemoglobin levels, enabling climbers to survive at extreme altitudes. The script also touches on severe altitude sickness conditions like HACE and HAPE, and the remarkable resilience of high-altitude populations.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Teleporting directly to Mt. Everest from sea level can be fatal due to the drastic decrease in barometric pressure and oxygen levels.
• 🏔️ At the summit of Mt. Everest (8,848 meters), the barometric pressure is only about 33% of that at sea level.
• 💨 The air at high altitudes is thinner, leading to less oxygen available for absorption by the body.
• 🏔️ Altitude sickness, specifically Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), can occur when ascending too quickly above 2,500 meters, causing symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and nausea.
• 🔍 Our bodies can adapt to high altitudes through various physiological responses, such as increased breathing rate and heart rate.
• 🩸 Within days of reaching higher altitudes, the body decreases plasma volume, increasing hemoglobin concentration to carry more oxygen.
• 💓 Over two weeks, hemoglobin levels rise, allowing the blood to carry more oxygen and the heart to pump more efficiently.
• 🌬️ Ventilatory acclimatization occurs, further increasing breathing to help the body adjust to the lower oxygen levels.
• 🧠 At altitudes above 3,500 meters, the body faces additional stress, with potential for High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) and High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE).
• 🧬 Some individuals with a genetic history of living at high altitudes may have advantages in preventing minor altitude sickness but are not immune to severe conditions.

Q & A

What would happen if someone teleported from sea level to the top of Mt. Everest?

The individual would likely suffer from severe oxygen deprivation due to the significantly lower barometric pressure and oxygen levels at the summit, potentially leading to suffocation within minutes.

Why can people survive at the peak of Mt. Everest for hours if they ascend gradually over a month?

The human body undergoes a series of physiological adaptations to high altitude over time, including increased breathing and heart rate, higher hemoglobin levels, and ventilatory acclimatization, which collectively help to distribute oxygen more efficiently.

What is the barometric pressure at the altitude of Mt. Everest compared to sea level?

The barometric pressure at the summit of Mt. Everest, at 8,848 meters, is approximately 33% of what it is at sea level.

What is altitude sickness, and what are the symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)?

Altitude sickness is a condition caused by oxygen deprivation at high altitudes. AMS is a form of altitude sickness that can cause symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and nausea, typically occurring when ascending too quickly.

How does the body respond to low oxygen pressure immediately after reaching high altitudes?

Within minutes or seconds of reaching altitudes above 1,500 meters, carotid chemoreceptors in the neck sense the low oxygen pressure, triggering an increase in breathing rate and depth, as well as an increase in heart rate and the force of heart contractions.

What are the long-term adaptations that occur in the body if it stays at high altitude for several weeks?

Long-term adaptations include a decrease in plasma volume, leading to higher hemoglobin concentration, an increase in hemoglobin levels over two weeks, and ventilatory acclimatization, which further increases breathing efficiency.

How does the volume of blood pumped with each heartbeat change during acclimatization to high altitude?

Initially, the heart rate and the force of contractions increase to pump more blood. However, after several weeks of acclimatization, the volume of blood pumped with each heartbeat can return to normal levels due to the increased oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

What are HACE and HAPE, and why are they dangerous?

HACE (High Altitude Cerebral Edema) and HAPE (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema) are conditions that occur at altitudes above 3,500 meters, where increased pressure in the brain's arteries and veins or constriction of lung blood vessels can cause leakage and fluid buildup, potentially leading to life-threatening complications.

Do genetic factors play a role in preventing altitude sickness for some individuals?

Yes, some Tibetans and South Americans with family histories of living at high altitudes may have genetic advantages that help prevent minor altitude sickness, although they are not immune to severe conditions like HACE and HAPE.

How have climbers over the last century demonstrated human adaptability to high altitudes?

Climbers have pushed past their body's limitations by successfully reaching the highest points on Earth, such as the summit of Mt. Everest, thereby redefining the boundaries of human adaptability to extreme environments.