Supplements for high altitude?

[bobhunts]

What are you using and why? I have never got sick due to the elevation but last year on my sheep hunt I had the feeling of being lethargic at 11.5 or above and am seeing the same this year while scouting for elk. I ordered Ascent from Mtn Ops but have not tried it yet. What is working for you?

 

[Jtelarkin08]

I've got some ascend that just got here. I'm gonna give it a shot

 

[JPC]

I have heard reports of this stuff working: http://www.altitude-adjustment.com, but I have never tried it myself. I live at just over 8k, work at 9k, and play in the mountains a good bit from 10k - 14k, so I guess I'm just used to it.

Best advice I have: drink plenty of water (but don't over-do-it) make sure you eat well (nutrition), avoid alcohol and caffeine and try to spend a couple days acclimating if you can before going too high. I have also found that LIGHT exercise to get the blood flowing can help get over some of the negative effects of altitude. Hunt high, but sleep low.

If you start feeing really bad (dizzy, nauseous, headache that won't go away, etc), get to lower altitude.

I have seen really out of shape people from sea level come up to 14k with no problems, but I have also seen a 30 year old male from Texas (in decent shape physically) camp out for 1 night at 10k and develop symptoms of both HAPE & HACE and have to be medivaced out. It's unusual, but it happens.

A small portable O2 bottle at base camp is not a bad idea just in case. You can actually buy small spraypaint-can-sized bottles of O2 at the grocery stores around here (Telluride, CO) for around $15 I believe. I'm sure other high-altitude towns have them too.

I don't know what altitude you are coming from, but hopefully this helps a little. As for supplements though, I'm not really convinced any of them do much more than what eating nutritional meals and staying well hydrated would do...

 

[Jjamesdean]

Ginko beloba supposedly helps..

 

[Laelkhunter]

Wilderness Athlete has Altitude Adjustment pills, start taking them several days before getting to altitude. Also Wilderness Athlete Hydrate and Recover to stay hydrated. As stated earlier, drink plenty of non alcoholic beverages (water). Staying hydrated is very important. Once you start feeling thirsty, it is too late- you need to drink almost constantly sipping water a little at a time. I use a Camelbak while hunting, and it is filled with Hydrate and Recover.

 

[camelcluch]

I don't have altitude sickness but my dad suffers bad. He takes protandim with great results. The military tested it on their own and found it to be better than the rx choices. Good stuff with lots of research.

 

[Eagle]

Diamox is generally prescribed for altitude sickness. You can look it up on WebMD and see what it does exactly, it's worked for me in the past, and I seem to be very susceptible to altitude.

 

[TimeOnTarget]

baby asprin works great for me. Start 1 baby asprin about a week before you leave.

 

[Biggs300]

Tums Antacid tablets. If you are sleeping above 11,000 ft. it wouldn't hurt having some Diamox handy.

 

[Buckvoodoo]

So what I have researched tells me that...Eating foods months in advance that are good at oxygenating the blood (beets) and drinking lots of water with Ginkgo biloba herbs will be a fine regiment to diminish the altitude sickness. Then also as a precaution...I will have a small bottle of o2 on hand to kick it up a notch. Sound good? go forth and kill my fellow carnivores.

 

[Eagle]

Figured I should add my most recent experience with Diamox. This stuff dried me out completely, to the point that I was cramping uncontrollably while in the backcountry at times. Mainly cramps in my abs and legs, but it was bad enough I don't think I'll ever take it again. It also made the long drive I had (26 hours) difficult due to the diuretic effect of the drug, we had to stop for bathroom breaks every couple hours which was a pain in the butt. I didn't get an altitude headache, but I'm not sure I wouldn't have rather dealt with a slight headache for a couple days instead of the crazy cramps.