Why Do Mountain Climbers Waste Away?
The old folklore admonition to “feed a cold and starve a fever” is not only good medical advice; it may explain something weird that happens to mountain climbers.
Climbers who spend extended periods at high altitude lose weight and eat less while they are there. Two British researchers think this phenomenon is the consequence of an evolutionary adaptation that protects vital organs in cases of severe illness and injury, and may give important insights into the treatment of patients in intensive care units.