Abstract
Problem statement: Living in high altitude areas results in chronic h ypoxia, which induces complex metabolic and endocrine adaptations. The current study investigated the endocrine responses of male Westar rats chronically exposed to high alt itude-induced hypoxia in Abha City, in Southwestern Saudi Arabia. Approach: The rats were separated in to 2 groups of 10 rats. The first group was kept at an altitude of 600 m above sea le vel in the King Saud University animal house in Riyadh City and designated the low altitude group; the second group of rats was transferred to the King Khalid University animal house in Abha City, which is 2800 m height above sea level and was designated the high altitude group. All rats were h oused under the same laboratory conditions and fed the same diet. Blood samples were collected from bo th groups of animals 45 days after transferring the high altitude group to Abha City. Results: The data revealed that the rats transferred to the high altitude area had significant decreases in serum Th yroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and testosterone levels and significant increases in the levels of s erum cortisol, free Triiodothyronine (T3) and free Thyroxin (T4) compared to rats kept at low altitude . Conclusion: The current study demonstrates that rats chronically exposed to high altitude hypoxia e xperienced alternations in various hormones. These findings will contribute to a better understanding of human endocrine and metabolic physiology in hypoxic conditions. Key word: High altitude, hormones, TSH, testosterone, Saudi A rabia
Highlights
The health effects of high altitude-induced hypoxia has long been considered important because a large number of people live at high altitudes and many others like to visit such areas for trekking, climbing or athletic training
Chronic exposure to high altitude lead to a significant decrease in Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and a significant increase in the levels of free T3 and free T4 in the serum compared to animals maintained at low altitude (Table 2)
There was a significant increase in serum cortisol and a significant decrease in testosterone levels in rats kept at high altitude compared to animals housed at the lower altitude (Table 3)
Summary
The health effects of high altitude-induced hypoxia has long been considered important because a large number of people live at high altitudes and many others like to visit such areas for trekking, climbing or athletic training. Physiological and microanatomical responses occur during acclimatization and adaptation to chronic hypoxia of high altitude (Ward et al, 1989). The adaptive processes that occur in response to hypoxia indicate complex modifications in the homeostatic steady state of endocrine and metabolic functions (Michiels, 2004). Though exposure to high altitude adversely affects male reproduction in both humans and animals (Monge, 1943; Abelson, 1976), the mechanisms responsible for these affects are not well understood and relatively few studies have examined how high altitude impacts the concentration of reproductive hormones. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of the altitude of Abha city on the serum concentration of thyroid hormones, cortisol and testosterone in male rats
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