The secret to Hongkongers’ longevity

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Preamble.

There is an an intriguing correlation between the rising concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the decrease in body temperature (after correction for age, height, weight and, in some models, date and time of day, the average body temperature has monotonically decreased by 0.03°C for each decade of birth [1]) and the increase in life expectancy over the last century.
It is known that the presence of carbon dioxide in the respiratory mixture leads to an initial decrease in body temperature, followed by recovery to the baseline temperature in mammals [2–4]. Reduced body temperature is also associated with healthy aging [5]. Despite the fact that acute exposure to carbon dioxide has a negative impact on decision-making and cognitive functions, a concentration of carbon dioxide above 1,200 ppm might temporarily have the opposite effect on cognition [6].

Fable.

Patients wait for a few years for specialist care in public hospitals [7]. 1/5 of the population lives below the poverty line [8]. But in spite of that, Hong Kong breaks the records for life expectancy [9].
The secret of Hong Kongers’ longevity may be in poor indoor ventilation — the air temperature remaining at about 30°C and the high relative humidity during most times of the year force people to keep windows closed. Also, 7 square meters of living space per person [10] greatly support the accumulation of carbon dioxide and force poor citizens into (cyclic) hypercapnia.

Epilogue.

In addition to (cyclic) hypercapnia and subclinical hypothyroidism, some substances prohibited by law in some countries [11], as well as stress avoidance, also reduce body temperature.

References:

  1. Protsiv, M., Ley, C., Lankester, J., Hastie, T. & Parsonnet, J. Decreasing human body temperature in the United States since the Industrial Revolution. (2019). doi:10.1101/729913
  2. Schaefer, K. E., Messier, A. A., Morgan, C. & Baker, G. T. Effect of chronic hypercapnia on body temperature regulation. Journal of Applied Physiology 38, 900–906 (1975).
  3. Jennings, D. B. Body temperature and ventilatory responses to CO2 during chronic respiratory acidosis. Journal of Applied Physiology 46, 491–497 (1979).
  4. Nakano, H., Lee, S.-D., Ray, A. D., Krasney, J. A. & Farkas, G. A. Role of Nitric Oxide in Thermoregulation and Hypoxic Ventilatory Response in Obese Zucker Rats. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 164, 437–442 (2001).
  5. Simonsick, E. M., Meier, H. C. S., Shaffer, N. C., Studenski, S. A. & Ferrucci, L. Basal body temperature as a biomarker of healthy aging. AGE 38, 445–454 (2016).
  6. Scully, R. R. et al. Effects of acute exposures to carbon dioxide on decision making and cognition in astronaut-like subjects. npj Microgravity 5, (2019).
  7. http://www.ha.org.hk/visitor/ha_visitor_index.asp?Content_ID=214197&Lang=ENG
  8. https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2120366/poverty-hong-kong-hits-7-year-high-one-five-people
  9. https://edition-m.cnn.com/2018/03/02/health/hong-kong-world-longest-life-expectancy-longevity-intl/index.htm
  10. https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201306/05/P201306050278.htm
  11. https://www.wikileaf.com/thestash/body-temperature-and-cannabis/

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