On Thursday the 26th, the documentary A Journey to the Limits of Human Adaptation was presented at Girona Cinemas. Produced by Tarannà Viatges and the Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau), this production blends science, adventure, and public outreach to explore how the human body responds to the most extreme conditions of altitude and oxygen deprivation. The film is based on the scientific project Sherpa Project 2017: Effects of Exposure to Extreme Environmental Hypoxia on the Human Body, led by Dr. José Manuel Soria, head of the Complex Disease Genomics Research Group at IR Sant Pau.
This groundbreaking project had a highly ambitious goal: to move the lab into the most extreme natural environment to study, in real time, how the human body reacts to severe environmental hypoxia, such as that found in the Himalayas above 5,000 meters of altitude. Hypoxia—a decrease in oxygen availability in body tissues—is a condition that can occur not only at high altitudes, but also in various respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Understanding how the body adapts to it can provide valuable insights for medicine.
The documentary follows the expedition of mountaineer Ferran Latorre along the southern face of Everest in Nepal, and showcases the scientific logistics involved in such a hostile environment. Biological samples were collected from 52 participants—15 trekkers (individuals hiking to base camp without summiting), 15 elite climbers, and 22 Sherpas—at three different altitude points: at sea level (Barcelona), at 5,400 meters (Everest base camp, after the acclimatization trek), and beyond 8,000 meters, in the so-called “death zone,” where only Sherpas and elite climbers were able to reach. In addition to blood samples, physiological data such as oxygen saturation, heart rate, and respiratory response were recorded, allowing for in-depth analysis of adaptation mechanisms to extreme environments.
The study also aimed to compare adaptation among individuals with different levels of training and acclimatization: from occasional trekkers, to professional climbers, to Sherpas—an indigenous Himalayan population with a genetically inherited ability to adapt to high altitudes that makes them unique in the world. This comparison helps identify differences between adaptation gained through training and adaptation passed down genetically over generations.
The documentary offers a human and intimate look at the challenges of conducting science in extreme conditions, and highlights the collaborative effort between scientists, athletes, and the local population. It also reflects on the limits of the human body and how far we can adapt to seemingly impossible environmental conditions.
All proceeds from the documentary screening will go entirely to thrombosis research conducted by IR Sant Pau, through the Activa’TT Foundation for Health, thereby helping to advance knowledge and treatment of this vascular disease.
