Bajau "sea nomads" are the first known humans to be genetically adapted to diving, which could explain why they are able to stay underwater for up to 13 minutes at depths of around 200 feet, National Geographic reported.
This nomadic people live in waters along the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia and dive to hunt for fish but, without access to advanced diving gear, their livelihood relies on the ability to hold their breath for long periods of time as they dive to new depths.
Intrigued by these people that have lived near the ocean for thousands of years, an international team of researchers conducted studies that revealed some interesting findings relating to genetic adaptations.
The study, published in the journal Cell, found that the Bajau people had significantly larger spleens, which provides their bodies with larger reservoirs of oxygenated red blood cells, ultimately giving them an advantage when it comes to diving.
Breath hold forces the spleen to contract, expelling these red blood cells, which boost oxygen levels.
This is significant as researchers in a separate study found that spleen and lung volumes could influence the performance in divers.
Author of the latest study, Melissa Ilardo of the Center for Geogenetics at the University of Copenhagen noted that, "if there's something going on at the genetic level, you should have a certain sized spleen," according to National Geographic.
"There we saw this hugely significant difference," she said.
These findings may have medical implications.
Certain conditions such as strokes and heart attacks starve the body of oxygen, so the results of this study may inspire new ways for the medical fraternity on dry land to approach their patients, The Atlantic noted.
The findings may also help shed light on a medical condition called acute hypoxia, which sees humans experience a rapid loss of oxygen and is often a cause of death in emergency rooms, National Geographic said.
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