Do You Burn More Calories at High Altitudes?

In the endless quest for novel ways to peel off pounds, vacationing at a high altitude may seem like an answer. Even breathing feels like more work when you go from a sea-level elevation, such as Yuma, Arizona’s, to the 8,000 feet of the ski resort in Aspen, Colorado. University physiologist Richard Bergman, editor of “Obesity” magazine, notes that mountainous Colorado is the least obese state in the United States. But hanging out on the heights may not cost you as many calories as you think.

A change of altitude affects more than your metabolism. Your body is less efficient at sending oxygen from the lungs into the blood at higher altitudes due to lower barometric pressure. Your breathing rate speeds up to compensate, working the diaphragm muscles harder. Both blood and muscle become more acidic, and you burn more carbs than fat for fuel. Your basal metabolic rate increases to stabilize basic body functions. Initially, according to Columbia University Health Center, your metabolism may rise as much as 6 to 28 percent. But that jump subsides as your body acclimates, although BMR remains marginally higher at higher altitudes.

Being at a higher elevation doesn’t necessarily mean burning more calories than you do closer to sea level. You might feel as if it takes much more effort to produce any activity, but the feeling is deceptive. Aside from the extra exertion of breathing, which moves your ribcage and other involved muscles more, you aren’t working harder. But, when the change is motivated by outdoor recreation or competition, you consume more calories than you do in more sedentary pursuits at sea level. If you change elevations in order to engage in a vigorous sport, such as running a marathon, mountain biking, hiking or skiing, your intensified activity level will burn through more fuel, potentially resulting in healthy weight loss.

If you fit into your skinny jeans once you gain some elevation, it could be muscle loss. Sports Fitness Advisor notes that slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fiber decreases as much as 20 to 25 percent after a month or more at high altitude. That results in an 11 to 13 percent decrease in muscle area. Muscle wasting may be due to the lower appetite commonly experienced at high altitudes. A British study conducted by Birmingham General Hospital found that, at high elevations, obese test subjects lost significant weight due to muscle wasting after consuming fewer calories than their usual diets. Researchers attributed the decrease in calories to loss of appetite and calorie-conscious reactions to having food intake monitored.

Whether your objective is to take off a few pounds or maintain your present weight, acclimating before you head for higher altitudes will ensure an easier transition, less muscle wasting and adequate energy for calorie-burning activities. Boost aerobic workouts in advance with interval training that is tough enough to take you outside your comfort zone. If you run or jog, work up to sprints of 10 to 20 minutes, alternating speeds. The idea is to improve your body’s ability to deliver oxygen to your muscles so you can keep moving at your usual pace in the mountains. Eat more carbs at higher elevations to supply more quick fuel for sports or activities. Drink more water to compensate for drier air. Muscles are 75 percent water, according to the American Council on Exercise, and high altitude dehydration can be a factor in muscle loss.