The human body is a complex, yet orderly structure and, of course, very fragile. According to scientific research, the human body performs best at sea level. We have various problems when we go up or down.
‘What happens when we go up?’ To answer the question, we can look at what happens to the human body at the summit of Mount Everest, known as the ‘death field’.
What happens to the human body at the summit of Everest, which is at an altitude of 8,848 meters?
The most ideal oxygen level for the human body is sea level. Here, our brain and lungs can consume oxygen without being damaged. However, at the summit, which is almost 9 kilometers high, the oxygen level is very low.
Air at sea level contains 21% oxygen molecules, but this ratio drops to 40% after passing 3,600 meters. Lack of oxygen also carries great life risks. When the amount of oxygen in your blood drops below a certain level, your heart rate can go up to 140 beats per minute, increasing your risk of heart attack.
During time at high altitude, the body begins to produce more hemoglobin (the protein in red blood cells that helps transport oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body) to compensate. But too much hemoglobin can thicken your blood, making it harder for the heart to pump blood around the body. This can lead to a stroke or fluid buildup in your lungs.
For this reason, mountaineers start using oxygen cylinders when they pass a certain height. If they do not use it, the cells in your brain begin to die one by one from lack of oxygen, since the oxygen level is low. In 2019, 11 climbers lost their lives on Mount Everest for exactly this reason.
Moreover, this so-called ‘death zone’ is found not only on Mount Everest, but at all heights after altitude at 3,500 meters. For this reason, you should not take your trip too long during a mountain trip.
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