The Tibetan secret

2007/11/18 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Eboluzioa
• Anatomia/Fisiologia
• Medikuntza

However, the inhabitants of Tibet do not have such problems, although, as with the rest, they have less oxygen in the blood than when they are at high sea level. So how do they not suffer from lack of oxygen? Those who study human physiology have long tried to answer this question and, apparently, have now solved the mystery: According to researchers at Cleveland University, the key is nitric oxide in the blood.

Cleveland, located 205 meters above sea level, has compared the blood circulation of 50 people to 88 Tibetans. Thus, the men and women of Tibet have seen that they move twice as much blood as the others. This allows all cells in the body to receive enough oxygen.

In addition, researchers have discovered what causes this difference. One may think that Tibetan hearts give two pulses for each American heartbeat, but it does not happen, in both groups there were no big differences in the frequency of beats. The difference is in the diameter of the blood vessels. In fact, Tibetan blood vessels are larger and therefore carry more blood.

Tibetans do not suffer from lack of oxygen.

X. Ostolaza

The next step is clarified, that is, it has been discovered why they have wider blood vessels and it seems that the responsible is nitric oxide. Nitric oxide and nitrates and nitrites that occur during degradation cause blood vessel dispersion. Well, Tibetans have 10 times more blood concentration than Cleveland.

Usually such a high concentration would be a sign of disease; for example, in septicemias, blood infections by bacteria, patients have more nitrates and nitrites than usual in the blood. However, Tibetans have no health problems from these concentrations, but are beneficial to them.

From nitric oxide to Viagra

Tibetans have been living on that plateau for 20,000 years, and the genetic ability to produce more nitric oxide than others. In any case, the result of the research is important for researchers, since they consider that nitric oxide can be used to treat people affected by lack of oxygen.

But it is not the only one, other substances can be useful to deal with the damage caused by lack of oxygen. Researchers at a London hospital showed that Viagra helped Kyrgyzstan breathe more easily.

The Kirgui have lived in the Asian mountains of Ten Shan for about 500 years and continue to suffer from mountain diseases. Researchers in London showed that the same enzyme that prevents blood flow in the penis tightens the pulmonary arteries and makes breathing difficult at high altitudes. Viagra, for its part, blocks the activity of this enzyme, extending the blood vessels of the lungs and helping to breathe well.

Published in Zazpika