Hypoxia and energy metabolism

Background: Oxygen is essential for aerobic metabolism of our nutrients, and therefore an important factor in energy metabolism. When subjects are exposed to low oxygen tension (hypoxia), for instance during a stay at high altitude, a loss of body weight is frequently observed. On the other hand, hypoxia is sometimes used to enhance exercise performance, and recent studies suggest that hypoxia may have the potency to treat specific forms of mitochondrial disease. These studies indicate that hypoxia affects energy balance and energy metabolism.

Aim: To provide a literature overview on the physiological effects of hypoxia on energy metabolism. A more detailed aim is depending on the students’ interest and will be discussed with the supervisor.