Tibetans retained innate ability resistance to acute hypoxia after long period of residing at sea level.

Could the intrinsic characteristics of tolerance to hypoxia be retained in Tibetan high-altitude natives after they had migrated to a low altitude? To answer this question, we undertook a study of 33 healthy male adolescent Tibetans born and raised in a high plateau (3,700 m [12,140 ft] above sea level) who migrated to Shanghai (sea level) for 4 years. Ten age-matched healthy male Han adolescents born and raised in Shanghai were regarded as the control group. Acute hypoxia was induced in a hypobaric chamber for 2 h to simulate the 3,700 m altitude.