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Adaptation to High Altitude:  Do you have the Sherpa gene?

Adaptation to high altitude infographic

  • High altitudes can make many people feel ill as though they have a flu or bad hangover.
  • For some segments of the population, however, altitude does not seem to phase them at all. This is especially true of the Sherpa people – an ethnic group from Tibet who are renowned for their skills as mountain guides in the Himalayas.
  • The Sherpa have a number of genetic variants that have helped them to adapt to living and working in altitudes of over 4000 meters.
  • Since most of us are naturally adapted to low altitudes, it is important to take precautions if you plan to travel to a high-altitude area.
  • Some ways that you can avoid altitude sickness are staying fit and hydrated; and introducing altitude gradually.

If you’ve ever thought about an adventure tour trekking to Mount Everest basecamp, hiking Machu Picchu or skiing the Swiss Alps, you may be wondering how you will fare in the higher altitude.

This is a natural concern since high altitudes can make many people feel ill as though they have a flu or bad hangover. In severe cases, altitude sickness may cause blood clotting which can lead to serious or fatal heart attack or swelling of the brain. For some segments of the population, however, altitude does not seem to phase them at all. This is especially true of the Sherpa people – an ethnic group from Tibet who are renowned for their skills as mountain guides in the Himalayas.

As you may have guessed, the Sherpa have a number of genetic variants that have helped them to adapt to living and working in altitudes of over 4000 meters. In particular, this group of people is noted for having a variation of the gene EPAS1 – nicknamed the “Sherpa gene” – which regulates production of hemoglobin and allows their bodies to work more efficiently with less oxygen.

When we climb to high altitudes, our bodies naturally produce more red blood cells. While the same is true for the Sherpa, they produce far fewer than other people. They have adapted to have mitochondria (the part of the cell that produces energy) that are extremely efficient at using oxygen.

THE SUPERHUMAN CLIMBING ABILITIES OF THE SHERPA

Long before their genetic variants were discovered, the Sherpa people were admired for their ability to easily cope with high altitudes. In one instance a Sherpa travelling with an experienced team of climbers took only two hours to descend 2000 metres while the rest of the team required nearly an entire day to travel the same distance.[i]

Since most of us are naturally adapted to low altitudes, it is important to take precautions if you plan to travel to a high-altitude area. Some ways that you can avoid altitude sickness are staying fit and hydrated; and introducing altitude gradually. There are even some prescription medications and natural supplements which can help.[ii] 

DO YOU HAVE THE SHERPA GENE?

In order for a person to have the Sherpa gene, it must be passed down to them by a parent. Since the people of Tibet have not spread widely throughout the world however, this gene variant has remained largely limited to the Himalayas.

Unless more Sherpa people begin to produce offspring with outsiders, their incredible variation of the EPAS1 gene is unlikely to be seen amongst the rest of us anytime soon – and even then, it could be thousands of years later before it’s widely observed.

WHAT THE SHERPA GENE MEANS FOR US

While chances are you do not have the Sherpa gene, the understanding of Sherpa genetics may lead to some important medical breakthroughs. The insight that science has gained from studying the Sherpa, may one day prove useful in helping patients with critical illness and brain injuries since these patients often experience a loss of oxygen similar to what is experienced at high altitudes.[iii]

This understanding of how the body sends an increased amount of blood to the brain in low oxygen environments may one day be used to help us develop better treatments for these patients.

 

[i] https://www.cnn.com/2015/11/11/health/sherpas-superhuman-mountaineers/index.html

[ii] http://www.mayo.edu/research/documents/preparing-for-safe-travelpdf/doc-10026905

[iii] https://www.cnn.com/2015/11/11/health/sherpas-superhuman-mountaineers/index.html