International Journal of Molecular Evolution and Biodiversity 2024, Vol.14, No.1, 34-42 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmeb 40 High altitude adaptability may have profound effects on the respiratory system. In long-term hypoxic environments, the human body may experience physiological changes such as increased respiratory rate and increased red blood cells to improve oxygen absorption efficiency. These adaptive mechanisms may be necessary for populations living in high-altitude areas, but they may also trigger potential respiratory problems such as chronic mountain sickness. High altitude adaptation may also affect metabolic pathways. Adaptive adjustment may lead to changes in energy metabolism to adapt to low-temperature and hypoxic environments. This may have an impact on weight control and energy balance, affecting an individual’s overall health status. High altitude adaptability can not only ensure survival, but also trigger a series of health issues related to cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic factors. Understanding how adaptive adjustment affects health and its variability among different individuals is of great significance for the health management of populations in high-altitude areas. 4.2 How adaptive changes affect susceptibility or resistance to certain diseases Adaptive changes may to some extent affect an individual’s susceptibility or resistance to certain diseases. Adaptive adjustment may enhance individuals’ antioxidant capacity. Due to the strong ultraviolet radiation in high-altitude environments, individuals often face more oxidative stress. Through adaptive changes, the human body may enhance its antioxidant defense system, reduce cell damage, and thereby reduce the risk of diseases related to oxidative stress, such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Adaptive adjustment may have a direct or indirect impact on the immune system, thereby affecting the individual’s resistance to infectious diseases. Adaptive adjustment may regulate inflammatory responses and affect the function of immune cells. These changes may make individuals more effective in resisting some pathogens, but they may also lead to insufficient immune system response to other diseases. Therefore, adaptive adjustment has a dual impact on the risk of infection among individuals in high-altitude environments. High altitude adaptation may also affect some chronic diseases related to climate and environment (Sydykov et al., 2021). Adaptive adjustment may affect insulin sensitivity and blood glucose regulation, thereby affecting the risk of diabetes. By conducting in-depth research on the impact of adaptive adjustment on different diseases, we can better understand the health status of populations in high-altitude areas and provide scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of related diseases. 5 Conclusion Through research on relevant aspects of high-altitude ecosystems, we have gained a deeper understanding of the key characteristics of genome adaptability among different populations in this special environment. People from various high-altitude regions exhibit unique genomic adaptability, such as Tibetans, Andeans, and Ethiopian highland residents, whose genetic variations are closely related to the survival challenges of high-altitude environments. These adaptive changes involve multiple biological processes such as oxygen transport and energy metabolism, providing a biological basis for human survival in high-altitude environments. This study reveals the complex relationship between high-altitude adaptability and health. Adaptive changes have a significant impact on the resistance or susceptibility of some diseases, providing important clues for understanding the health phenomena in high-altitude areas. The deepening understanding of biodiversity and adaptive pressure in high-altitude environments provides new directions for future ecological and evolutionary biology research. There are still some limitations and unresolved issues in current research. Although in-depth research has been conducted on populations in specific high-altitude regions, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding of the differences and similarities in populations in global high-altitude regions. Existing research mainly focuses on adaptive changes at the gene level, while there is relatively little research on epigenetics, transcriptomics, and
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