Basal and postprandial intermediary metabolism in normal male high altitude dwellers

Objectives To investigate the differences in basal and post prandial intermediary metabolism between male high altitude dwellers adapted to an environment of low barometric and oxygen pressures with chronic hypoxia and sea level dwellers in response to a mixed meal Methods A group of normal male high altitude dwellers Cusco Peru meters above sea level and normal male sea level dwellers Lima Peru meters above sea level were given a mixed meal containing Kcal and their responses assessed by directly measuring blood glucose total cholesterol high density lipoproteins triglycerides insulin and non sterified fatty acids basally and at intervals for hours afterwards Low density lipoproteins very low density lipoproteins and non high density lipoprotein cholesterol were calculated Results High altitude dwellers showed significantly lower fasting blood glucose and higher triglycerides and very low density lipoproteins than sea level dwellers whereas no significant differences were found in insulin total cholesterol high density liproproteins non sterified fatty acids and non high density lipoproteins cholesterol Postprandially high altitude dwellers showed significantly higher levels of insulin triglycerides and non sterified fatty acids but similar blood glucose values Conclusions Normal male high altitude dwellers possess different intermediary metabolism than sea level dwellers both at fasting as well as postprandially