Effect of developmental and ancestral high-altitude exposure on VO(2)peak of Andean and European/North American natives

Peak oxygen consumption ((V) over dotO(2)peak) was measured in 150 adult ma les (18-35 years old) in Bolivia, using a complete migrant study design to partition developmental from ancestral (genetic) effects of high-altitude ( HA) exposure. High-altitude natives (HANs, Aymara/Quechua ancestry, n = 75) and low-altitude natives (LANs, European/North American ancestry n = 75) w ere studied at high altitude (3,600-3,850 m) and near sea level (420 m). HA N and LAN migrant groups to a nonnative environment were classified as: mul tigeneration migrants, born and raised in a nonnative environment; child mi grants who migrated to the nonnative environment during the period of growt h and development (0-18 years old); and adult migrants who migrated after 1 8 years of age. Variability in (V) over dotO(2)peak due to high-altitude ad aptation was modeled by covariance analysis, adjusting for fat-free mass an d physical activity (training) differences between groups. A trend for incr eased (V) over dotO(2)peak with increasing developmental high-altitude expo sure in migrant groups did not reach statistical significance, but low stat istical power may have limited the ability to detect this effect. HANs and LANs born, raised, and tested at high altitude had similar (V) over dotO(2) peak values, indicating no genetic effect, or an effect much smaller than t hat reported previously in the literature. There was no functional correlat ion between forced vital capacity and (V) over dotO(2)peak, within or acros s groups. These results do not support the hypothesis that Andean HANs have been selected to express a greater physical work capacity in hypoxia. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.