People Living at High Altitudes Less Likely To Die of Heart Disease

The winters aren’t exactly balmy in the mountains of Colorado and Utah, but there’s an upside, apparently, to living up high. Researchers at the University of Colorado who spent four years analyzing death certificates from every county in the U.S. found that the top 20 counties with the highest life expectancy, eleven for men and five for women were located in Colorado and Utah, and each county was at a mean elevation of 5,967 feet above sea level. Compared to those living near sea-level, the men lived 1.2 to 3.6 years longer and women 0.5 to 2.5 years more. The researchers note that when socio-economic factors, solar radiation, smoking and pulmonary disease were taken into account, the net effect of altitude on overall life expectancy was negligible. Still, they said, altitude seems to offer protection against heart disease deaths and may also play a role in cancer development. Colorado, the highest state in the union, is also the leanest state, the fittest state, has the fewest deaths from heart disease and a lower incidence of colon and lung cancer compared to others. Why would altitude be good for that? The researchers have two theories: lower oxygen levels turn on certain genes, which may build new blood vessels that create new highways for blood flow into the heart; and/or increased solar radiation at altitude helps the body better synthesize vitamin D, which has also been shown to have beneficial effects on the heart and some kinds of cancer.

Read more from the University of Colorado.