Metabolic Adaptation in Indigenous Siberian Populations

Abstract

Previous research has suggested that arctic populations have elevated metabolic rates in response to their cold, marginal climate. Recent studies of indigenous Siberian groups have confirmed these earlier findings and have shed light on the mechanisms through which northern populations adapt to their environments. Indigenous Siberians show significant elevations in basal metabolic rate compared with reference values. Total energy expenditure is variable across Siberian groups and is correlated with levels of acculturation. Siberian populations appear to have adapted to cold stress through both short-term acclimatization and genetic adaptations, with thyroid hormones playing an important role in shaping metabolic responses. Elevated metabolic rates also have important consequences for health and may contribute to the low serum lipid levels observed in Siberian groups. Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of metabolic adaptation and their implications for ongoing health changes among indigenous Siberians.

Do physical activity and sedentary behavior relate to cardio‐metabolic risk factor clustering in indigenous Siberian adults?

“…The Yakut women were significantly less active than the men, spending almost half the time, 25 fewer minutes, in MVPA during the single day of monitoring compared to men. These results are consistent with a previous study within Yakut of the same community (Snodgrass et al, 2006), other indigenous Siberian populations (Katzmarzyk et al, 1994;Leonard et al, 2002Leonard et al, , 2005, and other indigenous circumpolar populations (Dahl-Petersen et al, 2013b). Women also tended (not significantly) to be at increased risk of clustering of cardio-metabolic risk factors though MVPA was not significantly related to risk factor clustering.…”

“…As populations transition, lifestyles become more mechanized, leading to decreased levels of physical activity and increased sedentary behavior (SB) (Biddle et al, 2004;Katzmarzyk et al, 1994;Leonard et al, 2005;Ng and Popkin, 2012;Popkin, 1993;Snodgrass, 2012). Physical activity leads to improvements in the cardio-metabolic profile (Ertek and Cicero, 2012) and reduces the potential of clustering of risk factors (Baceviciene et al, 2013;Das et al, 2012;Janseen and Ross, 2012).…”

Ecological Genetics of Thyroid Hormone Physiology in Humans and Wild Animals

“…Similar cases were also found for indigenous Nenets and nonindigenous Russians: both showed significant increases in total T4 levels during winter, but the magnitude of the increase was significantly greater in the Nenets than in the Russians [27]. Because thyroid hormones play important roles in regulating metabolic rate and adaptation to cold environments [28,29], human populations inhabiting colder environments may acquire genetic basis for more efficient thyroid hormone-induced thermogenesis and may therefore be genetically adapted to cold environments [30].…”

Detecting the Genetic Signature of Natural Selection in Human Populations: Models, Methods, and Data

“…That climate and the physical environment played an important role in shaping human phenotypic variation is evident from the strong correlations between traits such as body mass, basal metabolic rate, or skin reflectance and variables such as temperature, latitude, and UV radiation (Henry & Rees 1991, Jablonski & Chaplin 2000, Leonard et al 2005, Roberts & Kahlon 1976. Other phenotypes likely to have similar geographic distributions include those related to sodium homeostasis, salt and water retention, and thermogenesis.…”