medical check before you kick start ( Part 2 - Acclimatization )

Well its been long since my last post. Was actually busy with friends planning our perfect next mini expedition during my 10-15 days holiday in September. Well today I will talk a little about the very well known term in the mountains 'Acclimatization'.

  While walking in the mountains it is very necessary to have a simple understanding of the mechanics of breathing. A normal breath is only half a litre, so the lungs are not emptied and then filled with fresh air. Breathing more frequently and more deeply means more fresh air and a higher percentage of oxygen in the lung air. The oxygen concentration  in lung air starts dropping below normal from 10000 feet upwards, and the blood which is normally 100 percent saturated by oxygen becomes less and less so. Acclimatization basically means becoming used to this very process. A normal human is exhausted when this saturation drops to 65% and unconscious at 55%, but Climbers have been found 65% at rest and 45% during hard exercise when acclimatize to 19000 feet. One way in which the body adapts to this is to increase the number of red cells, as these carry the oxygen.

Individuals vary enormously, but roughly, those who are younger and fitter and have been to altitude previously are likely to acclimatize better Ascent from about 10,000 feet onwards is best taken gradually. At each height it takes two days to make the basic adjustment, and a rise of another 3000-4000 feet will require a further period of adjustment. Above 18000 feet this adaption still occurs, but there is underlying slow process of deterioration and above 24000 feet this is so rapid that one hardly has time to benefit from acclimatization, so that the time spent above this height is probably best kept to a minimum. Climbers developing altitude sickness should descend, and the further down they go the quicker they will recover. From this point of view, Base Camps are best below 18000 feet.

Full acclimatization to a particular height takes some seven weeks. In part this is due to the increase of the red cells in the blood, but there are little understood factors such as the control of breathing and the adjustment of the body cells to the low saturation of oxygen in the blood. There are no written rules and each individual must find out what is best for himself.

Happy Trekking !!!

For more information check this...
Effects of high altitude on humans