研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，在高海拔地區(qū)長大可能降低慢性疾病的風險

研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，在高海拔地區(qū)長大可能降低慢性疾病的風險

Living near the Tibetan Plateau, often referred to as "The Roof of the World," may have more benefits than scenic pleasure.

居住在青藏高原附近，通常被稱為“世界屋脊”，可能比風景帶來更多的好處。

A new study has found that humans native to high-altitude areas may have a lower risk for chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes-associated anemia -- and the reason why may have to do with the way their bodies have adapted to living with less oxygen.

一項新的研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，生活在高海拔地區(qū)的人患高血壓和糖尿病相關(guān)貧血等慢性病的風險較低，這可能與他們的身體適應(yīng)低氧生活的方式有關(guān)。

The research, which published Thursday in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology, found that the Mosuo people who live near the Tibetan Plateau and people who live in other place in Central have very different chronic disease risk, possibly due to genetic adaptations to prevent hypoxia.

這項研究星期四發(fā)表在《美國體質(zhì)人類學雜志》上，發(fā)現(xiàn)居住在青藏高原附近的摩梭人和居住在其他地方的人患慢性病的風險有很大的不同，這可能是因為他們?yōu)榱朔乐谷毖醵M行的基因適應(yīng)。

Researchers thought these genetic adaptations might also reduce the Mosuos' risk for other chronic conditions, such ashypertension and diabetes-associated anemia.

研究人員認為，這些基因適應(yīng)可能還會降低摩梭人患其他慢性病的風險，比如高血壓和糖尿病相關(guān)的貧血。

After studying the Mosuo, a Tibetan-descended population living in the Hengduan Mountains of Southwest China at an elevation of about 8.530 feet, the researchers learned they were right. Despite lifestyle factors that would ordinarily increase a person's risk for such conditions,the Mosuo had a lower risk for hypertension and diabetes-associated anemia than low-altitude Han populations.

在研究了居住在海拔8530英尺的中國西南橫斷山區(qū)的藏族后裔摩梭人之后，研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)他們是對的。盡管生活方式因素通常會增加一個人患這種疾病的風險，摩梭人患高血壓和糖尿病相關(guān)貧血的風險比低海拔的漢族人群低。

"Human biological variation matters for our chronic disease risk. And studying that intersection of genetic adaptations and chronic disease risk is really pretty important for people generally, not just for the Mosuo."

“人類的生物變異關(guān)系到我們患慢性疾病的風險。研究基因適應(yīng)和慢性疾病風險的交叉點對一般人來說非常重要，不僅僅是摩梭人。”

People have been living on the Tibetan Plateau at altitudes of up to approximately 17.700 feet for thousands of years, the report said, and their characteristics seem to be what mitigate hypoxic stress.

報告說，數(shù)千年來，人們一直生活在海拔高達17700英尺的青藏高原上，他們的特征似乎是減輕缺氧壓力的原因。

Whereas travelers to high altitudes experience about a 10% to 20% drop in oxygen uptake -- which is the rate at which oxygen can be used by the body during maximal work -- Tibetans show no deficit. That's because their bodies naturally dilate their blood vessels in a process called vasodilation to compensate for the reduced oxygen content. This raises their blood supply and lowers their blood pressure to enhance oxygen delivery in their arteries.

然而，到高海拔地區(qū)旅行的人的耗氧量大約下降了10%到20%——這是身體在最大限度工作時能利用氧氣的速度——藏族人沒有表現(xiàn)出任何缺陷。這是因為他們的身體在一個叫做血管舒張的過程中自然擴張血管，以補償氧氣含量的減少。這會增加他們的血液供應(yīng)，降低他們的血壓，以增強他們動脈中的氧氣輸送。

These characteristics are likely to lower hypertension, the study said, as hypertension may be caused by underproduction of vasodilators that help blood flow, and thickening arteries.

研究稱，這些特征可能降低高血壓，因為高血壓可能是由幫助血液流動的血管擴張劑生產(chǎn)不足和動脈增厚引起的。

Tibetan populations also have an adaptation called blunted erythropoiesis, or blunted red blood cell production. When our bodies undergo hypoxic stress, a mechanism in the kidneys signals an excessive amount of red blood cells to deliver oxygen to tissues, making really thick blood.

藏族人口也有一種適應(yīng)，叫做紅細胞生成遲鈍，或紅細胞生產(chǎn)遲鈍。當我們的身體承受缺氧壓力時，腎臟中的一種機制發(fā)出信號：過量的紅細胞向組織輸送氧氣，使血液變得非常粘稠。

In people with diabetes, this natural process could be harmful. Because of malfunctioning kidneys, they have an impaired sensitivity to hypoxia, which impedes their ability to correct anemia, the deficiency of red blood cells. But the Mosuos' adaptation switches off that specific kidney function, which could protect them from this outcome.

對于糖尿病患者來說，這一自然過程可能是有害的。由于腎功能不全，他們對缺氧的敏感性受損，這就阻礙了他們糾正貧血、紅細胞缺乏的能力。但摩梭人的適應(yīng)能力關(guān)閉了特定的腎功能，這可以保護他們免受這種結(jié)果的影響。

According to previous studies, many Mosuo communities are undergoing a rapid process of economic integration associated primarily with increasing tourism in the Yunnan province, changing their diets, physical activity and social structure.

根據(jù)以往的研究，許多摩梭人(居住的)社區(qū)正在經(jīng)歷一個快速的經(jīng)濟一體化進程，主要與云南省旅游業(yè)的增長、飲食、體育活動和社會結(jié)構(gòu)的變化有關(guān)。