Re: Chronic cellular hypoxia

True, people do adapt over time to lower oxygen levels at high altitude.  Children born at high altitude develop to maximise their oxygen efficiency. The typically grow to smaller stature, with a much larger heart, and their cells contain more mitochondria. Blood vessel proliferation is notable, and is linked to expression of genes that are sensitive to cellular oxygen levels.

Adaption to higher altitude also causes different gentic responses and genes are believed to be involved in the reduced pulmonary vasoconstriction response to hypoxia found in Tibetan natives . Individuals who possess this blunted response have been found to have higher than normal NO levels in their lungs, despite the low oxygen levels. NO is associated with reduced pulmonary hypertension, and it is believed that populations adapted to life at very high altitude have an altered form of an NO synthase enzyme which is more efficient.

I would however, point out that Tibetans consume fairly substantial amounts of animal protein and grains as well as dairy products.  Perhaps it is what we do to those items in Western civilization that causes the acidosis.

DQ