Could The Tibetans Challenge The East Africans?

[thedodge]

Researchers compared the DNA of 50 Tibetans with that of 40 Han Chinese and found 34 mutations that have become more common in the Tibetans in the 2750 years since the populations split. More than half of this changes are related to oxygen metabolism. Seems to me thats the East Africans big advantage now we need some coaches to hand out some scholarships what do you think.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/2010/jul02/mutation-gene-tibetan-altitude

[Quick Silver]

Re: COULD THE TIBETANS CHALLENGE THE EAST AFRICANS?

Tibetans in general tend to be rather poorly nourished.

But before the UK handed Hong Kong over to China it was garrisoned in part with Gurkha soldiers from Nepal. Those guys were properly fed and could rings around anyone in Hong Kong at distances over 1500m.

Quick Silver
Hong Kong

[Marlow]

Re: COULD THE TIBETANS CHALLENGE THE EAST AFRICANS?

Are they long-legged, lanky people like the E Africans we see?

[Powell]

Re: COULD THE TIBETANS CHALLENGE THE EAST AFRICANS?

Are they long-legged, lanky people like the E Africans we see?

Nope. It seems to me they are mostly short and stocky. Their living conditions and lifestyle are nothing like those of the Kenyans - we are talking harsh climate with cold winters and farming rather than chasing animals around. It's unlikely any genetic mutations which occur in their population will help them run fast.

[Halfmiler2]

Re: COULD THE TIBETANS CHALLENGE THE EAST AFRICANS?

Shouldn't this thread be merged with the one about cross-country maybe being added to the Winter Olympics. :wink:

[Conor Dary]

Re: COULD THE TIBETANS CHALLENGE THE EAST AFRICANS?

Are they long-legged, lanky people like the E Africans we see?

When I lived in Nepal I don't remember seeing anyone run there. The terrain for the most part is up and down on narrow trails. The Nepalese are also on the short side.
So no I don't think the Nepalese or the Tibetans are going to threaten the East Africans soon.

PS. Did you know the Nepal flag is the only one in the world that is not a rectangle.

[26mi235]

Re: COULD THE TIBETANS CHALLENGE THE EAST AFRICANS?

Do those two white triangles indicate snow-covered mountains?....

They might be short, but so were most all Chinese until the current generation, which is much taller in the regions where nutrition is good. So, it is not clear what the typical male would look like if they had good nutrition and exercise from birth.

[Conor Dary]

Re: COULD THE TIBETANS CHALLENGE THE EAST AFRICANS?

Do those two white triangles indicate snow-covered mountains?....

They might be short, but so were most all Chinese until the current generation, which is much taller in the regions where nutrition is good. So, it is not clear what the typical male would look like if they had good nutrition and exercise from birth.

Poor nutrition has always been a problem in Nepal. But lack of exercise is not. A scene like this was not uncommon.

[Marlow]

Re: COULD THE TIBETANS CHALLENGE THE EAST AFRICANS?

Please compare the above image to a similar one of an American man at work:

http://images.eonline.com/eol_images/En ... 101608.jpg

[cacique]

Re: COULD THE TIBETANS CHALLENGE THE EAST AFRICANS?

CAN YOU PLEASE NOT SHOUT? I CAN HEAR YOU WELL ENOUGH...

wasn't there some book about mexican indians who are champion ultra-marathoners? and did they run barefoot too?

[sjm1368]

Re: COULD THE TIBETANS CHALLENGE THE EAST AFRICANS?

The tibetan's respond to altitude completely differently than the East Africans.

So far, three different altitude responses have been found: an Andean one, Tibetan one, and Ethiopian one. The Andean response consists of erythrocytosis (RBC increase) with arterial hypoxemia (reduced oxygen saturation). The Tibetan pattern shows normal Hemoglobin concentration with arterial hypoxemia and the Ethiopian pattern consists of maintenance of Hb concentrations and oxygen saturation levels.

So, it's not just about growing up at altitude.

[Conor Dary]

Re: COULD THE TIBETANS CHALLENGE THE EAST AFRICANS?

Please compare the above image to a similar one of an American man at work:

http://images.eonline.com/eol_images/En ... 101608.jpg

I remember being in Nepal with a few other Volunteers once and watching some porter go by carrying a 50 kilo bag of rice and we would joke, 'yes it is true, the reason Nepal is so poor is because they are sooooo lazy."

It really made us all realize what a ideal life we had growing up.

[Pelpa]

Re: COULD THE TIBETANS CHALLENGE THE EAST AFRICANS?

The tibetan's respond to altitude completely differently than the East Africans.

So far, three different altitude responses have been found: an Andean one, Tibetan one, and Ethiopian one. The Andean response consists of erythrocytosis (RBC increase) with arterial hypoxemia (reduced oxygen saturation). The Tibetan pattern shows normal Hemoglobin concentration with arterial hypoxemia and the Ethiopian pattern consists of maintenance of Hb concentrations and oxygen saturation levels.

So, it's not just about growing up at altitude.

We could use your input more often on this forum.

[thedodge]

Re: COULD THE TIBETANS CHALLENGE THE EAST AFRICANS?

Are they long-legged, lanky people like the E Africans we see?

No but neither is Bekele or Gebrselassie

[thedodge]

Re: COULD THE TIBETANS CHALLENGE THE EAST AFRICANS?

Do those two white triangles indicate snow-covered mountains?....

They might be short, but so were most all Chinese until the current generation, which is much taller in the regions where nutrition is good. So, it is not clear what the typical male would look like if they had good nutrition and exercise from birth.

Poor nutrition has always been a problem in Nepal. But lack of exercise is not. A scene like this was not uncommon.

How do you download pictures like that on this site?