Xenon therapy

[lostsheep]

Not sure where to post this but as tech is my interest…I stumbled across an article talking about high altitude climbers using xenon to pre-acclimate themselves:

The First Xenon-Powered Everest Climb Is Coming This Spring

This spring, we'll see the first-ever xenon Everest climb—a one-week Everest summit attempt powered by xenon gas. But is it ethical?

www.climbing.com

Apparently xenon encourages the body to produce more red blood cells, I have questions and concerns.

I would think it’s the hypoxia that encourages red blood cell production, not necessarily the xenon as it’s a noble gas.

Why are they using xenon ? Would helium not do the same thing and be relatively cheaper?

What affect if any would this have on divers? I.e., diving with an increased red blood cell count?

I doubt we have data on this but does anyone know? Any speculation?

I’m definitely not advocating for this but it piques my curiosity.

 

[Johnoly]

I'm not sure I understand "why' either. Xenon doesn't bind with hemoglobin like O2 & N2 (& CO!). So what benefit is there in xenon when you really want & need O2 on top of Everest. Maybe @Duke Dive Medicine can suggest a 'Benefit' of Xenon?

 

[old frogman]

Not sure where to post this but as tech is my interest…I stumbled across an article talking about high altitude climbers using xenon to pre-acclimate themselves:

The First Xenon-Powered Everest Climb Is Coming This Spring

This spring, we'll see the first-ever xenon Everest climb—a one-week Everest summit attempt powered by xenon gas. But is it ethical?

www.climbing.com

Apparently xenon encourages the body to produce more red blood cells, I have questions and concerns.

I would think it’s the hypoxia that encourages red blood cell production, not necessarily the xenon as it’s a noble gas.

Why are they using xenon ? Would helium not do the same thing and be relatively cheaper?

What affect if any would this have on divers? I.e., diving with an increased red blood cell count?

I doubt we have data on this but does anyone know? Any speculation?

I’m definitely not advocating for this but it piques my curiosity.

I suspect it may have been used to prevent cerebral edema (bleeding on the brain). A problem in high altitude climbing due to low oxygen levels. Low oxygen levels cause blood flow to increase to the point where it can leak out of capillaries into the brain tissue causing inflammation and tissue damage.

Xenon has both anaesthetic and anti-inflammatory properties in relation to medical treatment.

As far as diving goes xenon is a narcotic gas under pressure. More so than nitrogen.

 

[inquis]

What affect if any would this have on divers? I.e., diving with an increased red blood cell count?

My understanding is that anyone living at elevation will increase their RBC, and if playing high-intensity sports at sea level, they'd have an advantage lasting perhaps a week. However, diving isn't exactly aerobic. I've not noticed any meaningful difference in SAC or endurance, as examples, going from ~6000 ft to 0 ft. After a day of diving, I'm about equally spent.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

It supposedly increases levels of erythropoietin which then would theoretically act to generate more red blood cells. This hasn't been borne out in the literature.

https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00289.2019

Effect of xenon and argon inhalation on erythropoiesis and steroidogenesis: A systematic review

Xenon and argon inhalation were included on the WADA Prohibited List in 2014 due to the reported positive effects on erythropoiesis and steroidogenesi…

www.sciencedirect.com

The Everest climbers the OP is referring to also slept in hypoxic tents to help generate more red blood cells. They managed to do what they set out to do without any casualties, though it's hard to attribute that to one specific thing.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[grantmac]

This feels to me like a way for the very rich to achieve goals with less time expended, given the cost of the therapy and travel to receive it. At what point are they simply buying an achievement?

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

This feels to me like a way for the very rich to achieve goals with less time expended, given the cost of the therapy and travel to receive it. At what point are they simply buying an achievement?

It does to me too - a lot of Everest expeditions in general feel that way. More like a bucket list thing for the very wealthy. Another side is, this is how advances in environmental physiology are made. Whether it feels like cheating or not, it's quite an accomplishment for a group of non-Sherpas who live at a relatively low altitude.

 

[lostsheep]

It supposedly increases levels of erythropoietin which then would theoretically act to generate more red blood cells. This hasn't been borne out in the literature.

https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00289.2019

Effect of xenon and argon inhalation on erythropoiesis and steroidogenesis: A systematic review

Xenon and argon inhalation were included on the WADA Prohibited List in 2014 due to the reported positive effects on erythropoiesis and steroidogenesi…

www.sciencedirect.com

The Everest climbers the OP is referring to also slept in hypoxic tents to help generate more red blood cells. They managed to do what they set out to do without any casualties, though it's hard to attribute that to one specific thing.

Best regards,
DDM

Is there something special about xenon compared to the other noble gasses for increasing erythropoietin production?

 

[Still Kicking]

This feels to me like a way for the very rich to achieve goals with less time expended, given the cost of the therapy and travel to receive it. At what point are they simply buying an achievement

Even if I had the money, level of fitness and/or acclimatization therapy required, I would avoid this. It's the absolute antithesis of what the outdoors means to me.

 

[grantmac]

You couldn't pay me to join that line.