Energy Metabolism Increases and Regional Body Fat Decreases While Regional Muscle Mass Is Spared in Humans Climbing Mt. Everest

Abstract

The objectives of the study were to determine regional changes in body composition, energy expenditure by means of doubly labeled water, and net energy balance during exposure to high and extreme altitudes (5,300–8,848 m). This study focuses on a subset of subjects who consumed the doubly labeled water (three base camp personnel and seven climbers). Regional body composition was determined by measuring skinfold thicknesses and circumferences at 10 different sites on the body. Energy expenditure was measured by doubly labeled water excretion. Discrepancies between actual energy expenditure and data obtained from diet records and body weight changes suggested a chronic underreporting of dietary energy intake, especially by those subjects who reached the highest altitudes. This underreporting may be due in part to diminished cognition or to a preferential focus on survival, rather than on filling out diet records accurately. Mean adjusted dietary intakes were 10.50 ± 0.65 MJ/d (2510 ± 155 kcal/d) for those who remained at base camp, and 20.63 ± 6.56 MJ/d (4931 ± 1568 kcal/d) for those who climbed above base camp. Energy expenditure averaged 2.5–3.0 times sea level resting energy expenditure. Differential changes in regional body composition suggested a preferential loss of fat mass and a relative sparing of muscle mass, despite insufficient energy intake to maintain body weight.