Plasma Adipokine and Hormone Changes in Mountaineers on Ascent to 5300 Meters

✍ Scribed by Jessica D. Smith; Katherine Cianflone; Julie Martin; Paul Poirier; Tom L. Broderick; Martin Noël

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 578 KB
• Volume: 22
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1080-6032
• DOI: 10.1016/j.wem.2011.01.003

✦ Synopsis

Objective:

The current study evaluated multiple metabolic and inflammatory hormone responses in recreational climbers (7 men and 3 women, age 26-49 years) over 9 days. in particular, acylation-stimulating protein (asp), which influences fat storage in adipose tissue, has not been measured at high altitude.

Methods:

Serial measurements were taken at sea level (sl), or 353 m, on day 0, 4000 m on day 3, 4750 m on day 6, and 5300 m on day 9 of the expedition.

Results:

Body mass index (bmi) decreased upon ascent to 5300 m from sl (sl 23.2 ± 1.5 kg/m(2); 4000 m 23.2 ± 1.4 kg/m(2); 4750 m 22.9 ± 1.3 kg/m(2); 5300 m 22.3 ± 1.2 kg/m(2); p<.001). similarly, plasma non-esterified fatty acids and triglycerides increased, while hdl cholesterol decreased (p<.05 to <.001) from sl to 5300 m. acylation-stimulating protein (sl 42.2 ± 40.2 nm; 4000 m 117.0 ± 69.6 nm; 4750 m 107.9 ± 44.5 nm; 5300 m 82.2 ± 20.2 nm; p=.019) and adiponectin (sl 10.4 ± 6.5 ng/ml, 4000 m 13.9 ± 8.5 ng/ml, 4750 m 18.3 ± 8.3 ng/ml, 5300 m 14.7 ± 8.0 ng/ml; p=.015) increased, as did insulin and interleukin-6 (il-6) levels (up to 71% and 168%, respectively; p<.05) with no change in leptin, complement c3 (c3), high sensitivity c-reactive protein (hscrp) or cortisol levels throughout the mountain ascent from sl to 5300 m.

Conclusion:

Acylation-stimulating protein and adiponectin are increased during a 9-day period of high altitude (sl to 5300 m) exposure despite weight loss in healthy mountaineers.