High Altitude Protects Against Diabetes by Turning Red Blood Cells Into 'Sugar Sponges,' Scientists Find

High-altitude living may protect people from type 2 diabetes because thin air forces red blood cells to act like "sugar sponges," soaking up extra glucose from the bloodstream and lowering blood sugar levels.​

Scientists Uncover the Mechanism

Researchers from Gladstone Institutes, Arc Institute, and the University of California, San Francisco report that low oxygen, or hypoxia, triggers a major shift in how red blood cells work.

In a new study published in the journal Cell Metabolism, they show that when oxygen levels drop, red blood cells switch to a different metabolic mode and start taking in much more glucose from the blood than usual, according to Science Daily.

This change helps the cells deliver oxygen more efficiently in thin air, but it also removes sugar from circulation, which appears to lower diabetes risk.

For years, epidemiological data have shown that people living at high altitudes often have lower fasting blood sugar and reduced rates of type 2 diabetes compared with those at sea level. Similar patterns have been seen in animals adapted to high elevations, suggesting that oxygen levels themselves play a direct role in controlling blood sugar.

Experiments in Mice and Red Blood Cells

In the new work, scientists exposed mice to high-altitude-like conditions and tracked where glucose was going in the body. Imaging studies showed that a large amount of glucose disappeared into a previously unrecognized "sink," which turned out to be red blood cells.

Under low-oxygen conditions, the animals produced more red blood cells, and each cell took up more glucose than cells formed at normal oxygen levels.

Further tests found that red blood cells increased key transport proteins that move glucose into the cell, strengthening the idea that they become active glucose users in hypoxia.

One of the study's authors, Angelo D'Alessandro, noted that red blood cells, long seen as simple oxygen carriers, can account for a substantial share of whole-body glucose consumption when oxygen is scarce, Phys reported.

Lasting Benefits and Drug Potential

Importantly, the metabolic benefits in mice did not vanish as soon as oxygen levels normalized. Improved glucose tolerance persisted for weeks to months after the animals were returned to regular oxygen, hinting that short-term exposure to simulated altitude could have lasting effects on blood sugar.

The team also tested a drug that mimics the hypoxic response without needing to go to the mountains. In diabetic mice, this treatment pushed red blood cells into the same sugar‑soaking state and reversed signs of diabetes, offering a possible new path for therapy.

Experts say the work could lead to medicines that safely tap into the body's natural altitude response to improve glucose control, while clinical researchers continue to study how high-altitude environments affect people already living with type 2 diabetes, as per FrontiersIN.