Abstract
To examine sex differences in response to strenous, high altitude exercise in children, we measured urine pH and urinary excretion of albumin and zinc before and after mountain climbing. Participants were elementary school children of both sexes in the age range 11.3–12.3 years. Urine pH decreased after mountain climbing (altitude 2763 m) in both sexes, but the decrease was significant only in girls. Albumin excretion did not differ significantly after mountain climbing in either sex when creatinine was used as a reference. Zinc excretion increased after mountain climbing in the girls and decreased in the boys; the difference in zinc excretion between the sexes was significant when creatinine was used as a reference. This study suggests that renal compensation for metabolic alkalosis induced by mountain climbing is greater in girls. Albumin excretion in urine did not change significantly; urinary excretion of zinc is greater in girls than in boys after mountain climbing.