As promised I am providing a link to download the Army's Technical Med Bulletin on Altitude Acclimatization and Illness Management. This Bulletin has a lot of great information on how our body adapts to higher altitudes and ways to help mitigate some of the ill effects. It is a bit of a long read at 128 pages but feel free to skim through to the relevant sections. Here are some highlights on hypoxia and acclimatization.
Hypoxia
As you ascend in altitude the partial pressure of oxygen decreases (the pressure of the oxygen in the atmosphere is required for oxygen to diffuse into the blood). As the pressure decreases you are getting less oxygen diffused into the bllod and ultimately the tissues and organs. At around 1,200m (4,000ft) your body begins to compensate through a series of physiological changes to improved oxygen delivery. The amount and rate of changes will vary with each person.
Acclimatization
1. Increased breathing rate
2. Increased blood flow and blood pressure
3. Better oxygen unloading from hemoglobin
4. Decreased blood plasma volume (increases hemoglobin concentration)
5. Increased tissue extraction of oxygen from capillary blood
6. Increased carbohydrate transport and utilization
Some of these changes will take place immediately upon arrival to altitude while others take hours and days. Overall you will see about 70-80% of acclimatization to a particular altitude with in the 1st week.
There is also some good info on pg.41 on physical performance, weight loss, nutrition, and acetazolamide (AMS Drug treatment). Hope you enjoy and more info on cold weather to follow.
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