Question

Some athletes prepare for competition at sea level by sleeping in a tent in which PO₂is kept low. When climbing high peaks, some mountaineers breathe from bottles of pure O₂. In a short essay (100–150 words), relate these behaviors to the mechanism of O₂ transport in the human body and to physiological interactions with our gaseous environment.

Short answer

Athletes sleep in tents in low oxygen to promote erythropoiesis that helps produce red blood cells. Erythropoietin (EPO) hormone can be produced by the kidney for producing RBCs (red blood cells) and stimulates erythropoiesis.

EPO can grow a thousandfold when there is a lack of oxygen or hypoxia. As a result, more oxygen can be transported in the blood.

Step-by-step solution

Step 1: Partial pressure of oxygen

At sea level, the air is at one atmospheric pressure, and the partial pressure of oxygen is around 21. At high altitudes, the partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) is approximately 11%.

The human body functions are much dependent on the PO2 that is inhaled and exhaled across the environment. The ideal condition for the body to process is 15% to 25% of PO2.

Step 2: Altitude

In altitude, acclimatization is required to adapt to a new environment that they are going to compete. Athletic training is necessary to maintain the balance between respiratory rate and PO2. At high altitudes, respiration is concerned with some problems due to atmospheric pressure and low PO2.

Step 3: Physiological response

Many physiological changes occur at acute exposure to high altitudes, such as increased heartbeat, blood pressure, and cardiac output; this is because each breath delivers less oxygen in a high-altitude environment to athletes' muscles.

Athletes acclimatize to the high-altitude environment and attain more red blood cells to transport more oxygen in the blood. Thus, erythropoiesis that helps produce red blood cells, is stimulated in some athletes that prepare for competition by sleeping in tents in a low oxygen environment.