Abstract Relocation to circumpolar regions exposes people to extremeclimatic conditions and a changed psychosocial environment. Theaim of this work was to assess, using meta-analysis, changes inseveral biochemical and physiological parameters in polar expeditionparticipants. We selected 72 publications from scientific literaturedatabases dedicated to changes in biochemical and physiologicalparameters in people during adaptation in the circumpolar zone,including 53 studies in Antarctica and 19 in the Arctic. Of theselected studies, 35 involved expedition members overwintering inAntarctica. In general, to date, there are significantly more high-qualitystudies on Antarctica that could be included in the meta-analysisthan on the Arctic. The conducted meta-analysis showed that duringthe first months of adaptation in the coastal zone of Antarctica,people experience an increase in norepinephrine levels. Cortisollevels were increased by 0.17 µg/dL (p =0.02) in saliva during the first months of adaptation and by 6.2µg/dL (p < 0.00001) in blood duringwintering, which may indicate chronic stress. TSH levels tendedto increase during wintering (by an average of 0.25 µU/mL, p = 0.01), T4 levels were decreasedduring the first months of adaptation (by an average of 12.89 nmol/L, p < 0.00001), and fT4 levels werelower than baseline by 1.37 pmol/L (p = 0.05)during the first months of adaptation and by 1.95 pmol/L (p < 0.00001) during wintering.Meta-analysis showed no significant change in fT3 levels. The meta-analysisdid not reveal any signs of inflammation or immunosuppression inthe polar explorers. On the contrary, there were signs of immune activation,as indicated by an increase in IL-2 and IgA levels. Participantstypically showed a slight increase in body weight during the polarexpedition. Data on blood pressure (BP) changes showed high heterogeneity,which can be explained by varying degrees of adaptation and differentliving conditions. In people at high-altitude Antarctic stations,an increase in the level of norepinephrine (in urine by an averageof 25 µg, p = 0.0002) and heartrate (HR) (by an average of 11.9 beats/minute, p =0.03) was observed in the first months of adaptation, as well as anincrease in hematocrit (by an average of 7%, p < 0.00001),hemoglobin (by an average of 3.9 g/dL, p <0.00001), red blood cells (by an average of 1.2 1012/L, p < 0.00001) during the entireperiod of the expedition. Our meta-analysis showed that changes inbiochemical and physiological parameters in people adapting to thecircumpolar zone differ in many respects from seasonal changes.Moving to the circumpolar region is associated with physiologicaland psychological stress. Shifts in polar explorers’ metabolismare caused by both meteorological conditions and emotional stress.

Biochemical and Physiological Changes during Human Adaptation in the Circumpolar Zone: a Meta-Analysis

期刊论文
发表日期：

2026年2月26日

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N. V. Kuzmenko,
V. A. Tsyrlin,
M. G. Pliss,
М. М. Galagudza

摘要

Abstract

Relocation to circumpolar regions exposes people to extremeclimatic conditions and a changed psychosocial environment. Theaim of this work was to assess, using meta-analysis, changes inseveral biochemical and physiological parameters in polar expeditionparticipants. We selected 72 publications from scientific literaturedatabases dedicated to changes in biochemical and physiologicalparameters in people during adaptation in the circumpolar zone,including 53 studies in Antarctica and 19 in the Arctic. Of theselected studies, 35 involved expedition members overwintering inAntarctica. In general, to date, there are significantly more high-qualitystudies on Antarctica that could be included in the meta-analysisthan on the Arctic. The conducted meta-analysis showed that duringthe first months of adaptation in the coastal zone of Antarctica,people experience an increase in norepinephrine levels. Cortisollevels were increased by 0.17 µg/dL (p =0.02) in saliva during the first months of adaptation and by 6.2µg/dL (p < 0.00001) in blood duringwintering, which may indicate chronic stress. TSH levels tendedto increase during wintering (by an average of 0.25 µU/mL, p = 0.01), T4 levels were decreasedduring the first months of adaptation (by an average of 12.89 nmol/L, p < 0.00001), and fT4 levels werelower than baseline by 1.37 pmol/L (p = 0.05)during the first months of adaptation and by 1.95 pmol/L (p < 0.00001) during wintering.Meta-analysis showed no significant change in fT3 levels. The meta-analysisdid not reveal any signs of inflammation or immunosuppression inthe polar explorers. On the contrary, there were signs of immune activation,as indicated by an increase in IL-2 and IgA levels. Participantstypically showed a slight increase in body weight during the polarexpedition. Data on blood pressure (BP) changes showed high heterogeneity,which can be explained by varying degrees of adaptation and differentliving conditions. In people at high-altitude Antarctic stations,an increase in the level of norepinephrine (in urine by an averageof 25 µg, p = 0.0002) and heartrate (HR) (by an average of 11.9 beats/minute, p =0.03) was observed in the first months of adaptation, as well as anincrease in hematocrit (by an average of 7%, p < 0.00001),hemoglobin (by an average of 3.9 g/dL, p <0.00001), red blood cells (by an average of 1.2 10¹²/L, p < 0.00001) during the entireperiod of the expedition. Our meta-analysis showed that changes inbiochemical and physiological parameters in people adapting to thecircumpolar zone differ in many respects from seasonal changes.Moving to the circumpolar region is associated with physiologicaland psychological stress. Shifts in polar explorers’ metabolismare caused by both meteorological conditions and emotional stress.