Both BillP and Lost Yooper bring up good points - the action of O2 on the red cell at the surface and depth probably cannot be compared.
I've not been able to find any articles that show that the rbc changes at depth are any different from those at the surface; even though we know that O2 under pressure causes marked changes in many most bodily systems (but at variable rates).
This question, like so many on this board, brings up many suppositions, speculations and opinions - but very few facts that have been subjected to rigid scrutiny. With a background in clinical medicine - I'm very reluctant to get into a 'spittin' contest with extremely knowledgeable researchers who have spent their lives investigating (usually) one subject.
Warm regards and good things!
Ern Campbell, MD
Diving Medicine Online
http://www.scuba-doc.com
I've not been able to find any articles that show that the rbc changes at depth are any different from those at the surface; even though we know that O2 under pressure causes marked changes in many most bodily systems (but at variable rates).
This question, like so many on this board, brings up many suppositions, speculations and opinions - but very few facts that have been subjected to rigid scrutiny. With a background in clinical medicine - I'm very reluctant to get into a 'spittin' contest with extremely knowledgeable researchers who have spent their lives investigating (usually) one subject.
Warm regards and good things!
Ern Campbell, MD
Diving Medicine Online
http://www.scuba-doc.com