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The circulatory levels of two appetite regulatory hormones i.e. leptin and ghrelin were estimated in sojourners and acclimatized subjects to investigate their possible role in high altitude (HA) induced anorexia. A group of 30 lowlanders who had never visited HA were inducted to a height of 3600 m by air and after 48 h they were further taken to an altitude of 4300 m by road. Blood samples were collected after 48 h stay at 3600 m and again after 48 h and 7 days of stay at 4300 m during 0700-0730 h. There was a decrease in energy intake (850 kcal/day) of sojourners, which resulted in loss of body weight by 2.12 kg at HA. At an altitude of 4300 m there was a significant increase in leptin over basal levels (54.9%, p < 0.001) at 48 h that persisted even after 7 days of stay at this altitude. Ghrelin levels of sojourners decreased by more than 30% in comparison to basal values at 48 h of ascent to HA. Leptin levels of acclimatized lowlanders were also higher in comparison with control group (acclimatized group 7.6 + 0.6 ng/ml vs. control 5.6 + 0.5 ng/ml, p < 0.01, n = 50).

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